Destiny's Call
by Griffinkhan
Summary: A Golden Sun/Redwall crossover fic. Chapter 10 is up- Isaac and Ivan awaken from their descent down the waterfall, and meet several strange bats. (Ok, it's a lame summary :)Please R+R
1. Chapter 1 The Storm

Pretty Boring Introduction on How this Story Came to Be-

Well, it all started when I wanted to write a GS fic. So, I racked my brain and tried to think up a plotline. I could write out the entire game- but that would take too long and plus there are already _way_ too many stories like that. There isn't really much room for side-quests during the course of the adventure, either. I could write my interpretation about events after the end of GS, but that would be obsolete by Christmas, when the Lost Age FINALLY comes out. So then, I thought- Why not take the GS crew somewhere else? Then the logical place came to mind- Redwall Abbey! So, you probably won't understand everything unless you've read the Redwall books (which, by the way, is the best series in the world and everyone in their right minds should read!) 

Setting: This takes place slightly after the conclusion of Pearls of Lutra (one of my favorites!) and after the Adepts have boarded the Lemurian ship. Now on with the fic!

Garet: You forgot the disclaimer.

Oh, shut up, you stupid Fire Adept! (Casts whirlwind on him and blows him far away) Ahem... Naturally, I do not own Redwall or Golden Sun! Though I wish I did... As I was saying, on with the fic!

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Chapter 1- The Storm

"Ivan! Can't you watch where you're going?"

The Jupiter Adept skidded to a halt, grinning sheepishly at Garet. He had just knocked over Garet's carefully created house of cards as he ran past them. The bad thing about this was that it was the fifth time he had done so in the past ten minutes, and the strain was beginning to tell on the Mars Adept's nerves.

"Sorry, Garet." Ivan said, jumping up and down a little as he spoke. "It's just that I'm really tired of staying on this tiny little ship! We've been sailing for two weeks, you know."

"I'm tired of it, too," replied Garet, resignedly scooping up the fallen cards, "but you don't see me running around the ship like a maniac, do you?"

Isaac, carefully steering the ship with the help of his Djinn, turned and commented, "That's because you've been seasick for almost the entire time we've been out here!"

"No one asked _you_, Isaac." Garet muttered. "It's not _my _fault I'm a fire adept."

Mia poked her head out the cabin door. "Lunchtime, everybody."

"Oh, goodie!" exclaimed Ivan, bouncing like a two-year old towards the Mercury Adept. Garet just groaned.

"What's wrong, Garet?" asked Mia, concerned. "Are you sick again?"

"No," he replied, "but all Ivan's bouncing has made me lose my appetite."

"Hey, Ivan!" Isaac teased. "You should remember to do that when we get back to shore. Maybe then our food supplies will last at least a day after we buy them!"

"Not funny, Isaac." Said Garet, leaning back against the wooden side of the ship.

"Bane, will you take over for a while?" Isaac asked, as the brown Djinn materialized on his shoulder.

"Aye aye, Captain!" said Bane, hopping onto the Black Orb. 

"For the hundredth time, Bane, don't call me Captain!" joked Isaac. Leaving the Djinn and Garet behind, he headed inside.

A few hours after lunch, Garet was getting angry again. Ivan had "borrowed" Mia's Douse Drop, and was currently engaged in putting out the fires Garet was trying to light for practice.

"Will you STOP, Ivan??" he shouted in exasperation after Ivan put out his Flare Wall once again.

"All right, which one of you three wise guys took my Douse Drop?" said Mia angrily, emerging from her room. Both Isaac and Garet looked at Ivan.

"I was going to give it back." said Ivan, handing the blue gem back to its owner.

"Ivan," Mia sighed, accepting the Drop. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately."

"He's just a little hyper from being cooped up too long." said Isaac, who was again manning the Black Orb. 

"A LITTLE hyper?!" said Garet, stepping over a puddle of water on the deck. 

"I think Ivan's not the only one who has been feeling the effects of this voyage.." Said Ivan's wind Djinni, Gust.

"Who asked _you?_" said Garet, angrily. He began advancing upon Ivan. "I'm sick and tired of the way you've been acting, Ivan. All you've been doing this entire trip is trying to annoy me!"

"Oh, yeah?" replied Ivan, holding his ground and clutching his Crystal Rod tighter. "Well, all you've been doing is yelling at me!"

"Do you want a fight, Ivan?" shouted Garet Is that it? Well, then, you've got one! Flare Wall!" 

Ivan jumped back just in time as a wall of searing flames appeared where he had been standing a moment before.

"Garet! Ivan! Stop it!" Mia cried, but it was too late. Ivan raised a hand and yelled, "Shine Plasma!" Bolts of lightning hit the ship, narrowly missing Garet. Garet retaliated by casting Volcano. The scorching psynergy rained down, hitying Ivan on the arm. Biting back against the pain, the Jupiter Adept cast Whirlwind.

The scene soon disintegrated into chaos. Isaac and Mia, separated from their battling friends by a wall of flames and a whirling cone of wind, watched helplessly as Garet and Ivan attempted to seriously injure each other. Garet drew his Silver Blade, thrusting out at Ivan. The Jupiter Adept retaliated quickly, bringing up his Crystal Rod to stop the attack. The fighters matched each other blow for blow, Ivan continually blocking Garet's sword strokes. The Psynergy surrounding them grew in intensity as the struggle continued. Both Adepts were glowing like twin suns because of the immense power required to maintain their psynergetic barriers.

"We've got to _do _something, Isaac, before they kill each other!" cried Mia. 

"I'm open to suggestions, Mia!" replied Isaac, his eyes on the unfolding combat. He had never seen Garet and Ivan so angry before. Both Adepts had gained tremendous experience during the course of their adventure, and Isaac had no doubt that in their current state both were capiable of finishing each other off.

The sky above the ship turned dark and stormy. The cold wind roared, making the once calm waves turn into grey, foaming mountains. Mia became increasingly alarmed as lightning bolts struck the water near the Lemurian vessel.

"This has gone on long enough!" she cried, running towards her battling friends.

"Mia!" shouted Isaac, his voice nearly drowned out by the howling of the storm. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to stop them before they make us all drown!"

Mia ran up to the psynergetic barriers surrounding Garet and Ivan, sending a torrent of water upon the firewall with her regained Douse Drop. A portion of the flames died down, letting her pass through the obstruction. Isaac, worried about her safety, ran after her. He jumped through the flames before the gap completely closed.

"Stop it, you two!" cried Mia, approaching the combatants. She raised her hand high unto the heavens, and a gigantic spike of ice crashed down between Ivan and Garet. Startled, they lowered their weapons.

"Garet, get rid of the fire." She commanded. "Ivan, stop the storm. NOW!"

Both boys immediately ceased glowing, looking at the Mercury Adept uncertainly. Mia could get very scary when she became mad. The firewall and the winds that had been encircling the pair disappeared. However, the lightning continued to strike, the waves were still enormous, and the force of the wind was reaching a crescendo pitch over the sea.

"Ivan!" shouted Mia. "I said STOP the STORM!"

"I'm not doing it!" he shouted back.

"Yeah, right, Ivan!" yelled Garet. Ivan raised his Crystal rod again, but at that very moment a gigantic bolt of lightning struck the deck of the ship, not far from where the adepts were standing.

The force of the impact threw the four friends high into the air. As they soared aloft, they were caught by collossal force of the gale. The storm winds were now blowing so strongly that they had created a funnel of seawater that engulfed the remains of the vessel. Isaac, separated from the others, was carried along within a wall of swirling wind and water. He could no longer see the ship, the sky, or anything else. For a second, he thought he saw Mia's limp form rush past him. He had time to call out her name once before a broken spar of wood hit his head, and everything went black.

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Now is the time to press the little button in the bottom-left corner and REVIEW!


	2. Chapter 2 Transformation

Thanks to everyone that reviewed! Sorry about the spacing problem yesterday- I had downloaded the Word document copy instead of the HTML copy. I still can't figure out how to make the indents work properly yet, so bear with me!

Disclaimer thingie- I do not own Golden Sun, I do not own Redwall. Happy now?

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Chapter 2- Transformation

"Sister Viola, I think he's coming around!"

Isaac blinked. Where was he? He was lying on something soft, in what seemed to be a well-lit room. He blinked again, and stared up into the face of a brown mouse.

Letting out a startled cry, Isaac sat up quickly. Too quickly- his entire head felt as if it were on fire. Reaching up a hand, he touched a large bandage.

"Lie back down now. You've had a nasty shock!" A bossy-looking bankvole in a long white dress came bustling over to his bedside. She gently pushed Isaac back down onto the pillows.

"Where am I?" Isaac asked, looking around the room. The stone-walled chamber was large, with a number of beds and cabinets lining the walls. Besides the mouse and the bankvole, there was also a hedgehog wearing a strange sort of green robe standing beside the door.

"You're in Redwall Abbey, young one." said the hedgehog. "I'm Abbess Tansy. What's your name?"

"Isaac." Isaac replied, still confused at his surroundings. "How did I get here?"

"Martin found you lying in the forest, with a lump on your head." said the Abbess, gesturing towards the mouse still standing beside Isaac's bed. "What happened to you? Were you attacked?"

"I... I don't remember!" said Isaac, beginning to become frightened. "I can't remember anything, except my name!"

"You mean you have no idea who you are or where you came from?" said Martin. He was strongly built and had a sword strapped to his back. "None at all?"

"I remember a ship..." said Isaac, straining his memory. "And a storm..."

"But the ocean is miles away from Redwall." said the bankvole, who Isaac supposed must be Sister Viola.

"That's all I know." Said Isaac apologetically, swishing his tail in frustration. Suddenly, he realized what he had just done. His tail!

Isaac sat up, ignoring the pain in his head. "Do you have a mirror?" he asked. Sister Viola looked unhappy about his refusal to stay lying down, but she brought him one. Isaac held it in front of him. Staring back from the mirror's shiny surface was a young mouse with light-brown fur, clad in a blue tunic and a yellow scarf. Isaac gasped, touching his hand to his face to make sure he was really there.

"I'm a mouse!" he exclaimed.

"Of course you're a mouse." laughed Tansy. "What else would you be, a frog?"

"I'm not supposed to be a mouse." said Isaac, still staring puzzledly at the mirror. 

"I don't see how you could have been anything else." said Tansy. "It's not like it's possible to change shapes."

".....No, it isn't." Said Isaac, handing the mirror back to Sister Viola. She then pressed him back down onto the bed.

"You need to rest." She said firmly. Turning to Martin and Abbess Tansy, she declared, "Everybody out! He can't get his memory back if he doesn't sleep!"

The two left, with Sister Viola right behind him. Isaac suddenly realized how tired he was. Within a few seconds of the bankvole's shutting the door, the young muse was sound asleep.

The sun shone down, bright and hot upon the red stones of Redwall Abbey. The otter Wullger was currently on wall duty. He surveyed the road from his vantage point on top of the high, battlemented sandstone walls. A paw above his eyes to block the glare from the sun, he looked up and down the dusty path running past the abbey.

As his gaze turned northwards, the otter beheld a creature walking along the road towards the Abbey. Squinting in the bright sunlight, he leaned forward to try to get a better look at the stranger. The creature appeared to be an otter, like himself, wearing a long blue robe and carrying a staff. When the stranger reached the abbey gate and stopped, Wullger could see that it was indeed an otter, and a female one, too.

"Good morning, and welcome to Redwall Abbey, ma'am." He said politely. The young otter, besides wearing a blue dress, also seemed to have a strange bluish tint to her fur. Wullger wondered if it was natural.

"Good morning to you, too, sir." The stranger said politely. "Is that what this place is called? Redwall?" She surveyed the scarlet sides of the stone structure.

"That it is, ma'am." Wullger replied. "What brings you around these parts?"

"I'm a bit lost, actually." she confessed. "I've been separated from my traveling companions. Their names are Isaac, Ivan and Garet. Has anyone come by here recently?"

Wullger thought for a moment. "There was one stranger that Martin brought in last night." he said finally. "An odd-looking mouse. Martin said he found him lying unconscious in the woods. I don't know his name, though."

"What did he look like?" the ottermaid asked, eagerly.

"Average height, brown fur, wearing a blue tunic and a yellow scarf."

"That's Isaac." said the stranger, seeming to be relieved. "Can I come in and see him?"  
"Of course." said Wullger. He ran quickly down from the walltop and opened the gates for the attractive young traveler. "He's in the infirmary, ma'am. Right this way." The dutiful otter led the strange ottermaid across the green lawns and into the main abbey building.

"Hello, Mother Abbess." said Wullger, spotting Tansy outside the infirmary door a few minutes later. The Abbess was consulting with Martin and Sister Viola in low tones.

"Hello, Wullger." said Tansy, looking up. Then she spotted the stranger. "Who is this with you?"

"My name is Mia." said the ottermaid, smiling. "I'm a friend of Isaac's."

"Oh, good." exclaimed Sister Viola. 

"We were hoping someone would come by that knew him." explained Tansy. "That poor mouse..."

"What happened to him? Is he hurt?" said Mia, suddenly concerned.

"Oh, no." Viola reassured her. "Just a bump. But.. his memory's gone."

"What?" said Mia. "You mean he has amnesia?"

"That's right. Can't remember anything except his name, poor thing." said Viola sadly.

"Can I see him?"

"It won't hurt, I suppose." said Viola. "Having you here might even jog his memory."

She pushed open the door, and Mia walked inside. 

Isaac woke up when he heard the door open. A new person he hadn't seen before entered the room. This one was an otter, wearing a blue dress and carrying a staff. 

"Isaac!" she said, coming over to the side of the bed. "Thank goodness I found you!"

The ottermaid knew Isaac's name, but he had no idea who she was. 

"Do I know you?" he asked. 

"It's me, Mia!" she said, searching his face for a glimmer of recognition. "Don't you remember me?"

"I'm sorry," said Isaac, "but I don't." 

"Oh, dear." sighed Mia. "This is worse than I thought. So you remember nothing at all?"

"Just my name." he said. There was silence for a few seconds.

"Mia," Ivan said finally, "Can you tell me.... who I am?"

"At the moment, Isaac." said the ottermaid, somberly, "I don't think you would believe me."

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What has happened to our heroes? Will Isaac regain his memory? Will Ivan and Garet ever be found? What has happened to the Djinn? Will I ever stop asking stupid questions? Find out next time in Destiny's Call! Don't forget to review!


	3. Chapter 3 Recognition

Disclaimer: Golden Sun does not belong to me. Redwall does not belong to me. 

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Chapter 3- Recognition

The dawning of another morning brought light and warmth once more to the vast forest of Mossflower. The little birds began to sing, their cries trilling to the heavens and cheering on the start of a new day. Below the trunks of the ancient trees that made up the woods, a different creature stirred. One clothed in a strange green and purple tunic and holding a staff in his hand...

Ivan groaned, opening his eyes slowly against the light of the morning sun. He blinked, groggily taking notice of the green canopy of foliage above him. Suddenly, the full impact of what he was seeing took hold. He was completely surrounded by trees, when he should be on a ship in the middle of the ocean!

__

How could I have gotten from there to here? he wondered. Then, the memories came flooding back- the ship, the storm, his fight with Garet....

Ivan jumped to his feet. "Isaac?" he called out. "Mia? Garet?" Only silence answered his cries. What could have happened to them?

Grasping his Crystal Rod firmly, Ivan stepped away from the protection of the tree. He would look for them, he resolved. There was no use standing around here, anyway. The dead leaves from the previous fall crunched noisily under his boots as he moved ahead purposefully. He had only stepped a few paces, however, when he noticed an object among the trees a little way off to his left. It was similar in color to the burgundy tunic Garet always wore. Hurrying forward, shouting Garet's name as he ran, Ivan moved swiftly towards the object- only to stop abruptly when the thing came into clearer view. 

The creature lying on its side on the forest floor was wearing clothing remarkably similar to Garet's, and was even wearing a sword identical to the fire adept's own. But this.... This couldn't be... Garet? 

Ivan ran over to the creature's side and studied it closely. It appeared to be a hare- a very large, very strange looking, clothing-wearing hare. The creature's fur was an odd auburn-red that Ivan could never remember seeing on a regular-sized variety, let alone one as big as a man. The animal did not seem to be moving. 

Ivan gently prodded the silent figure. It had no reaction, save the slight up and down movement of its breathing. _At least it's alive_. Ivan thought. He didn't like the idea of being alone in the middle of an unknown forest with a giant dead rabbit. _I wonder if it's hurt? _He couldn't see any injuries, but the creature was lying in such a way that its face and torso were hidden. Taking a chance, and hoping that the animal would not suddenly attack him for disturbing his nap, Ivan rolled the hare over. What he saw made him gasp in horror. The creature was bleeding from a huge gash in his chest. Blood covered the front of his tunic, and more stained the grass where it had been laying a moment before. Ivan had to turn away from the sickening sight for a moment to keep from retching. In the many months he had been traveling, he had seen many bloody wounds- but none as extensive as this.

The hare's eyelids began to flicker. Ivan quickly bent close to one of his long ears and said gently,

"Can you hear me?" He tried to sound in control but comforting at the same time.

"......yes......." came the whispered reply, so faint that Ivan could barely make it out.

"What is your name?" Ivan asked, slowly and clearly. He strained his ears for an answer.

".......Garet........."

Ivan froze. No, it couldn't be! It was impossible!

"......Who..... are..you?...."

"I'm.. Ivan." Ivan responded after a moment's hesitation. He was unable to comprehend what he had just been told. The hare's name _couldn't _be Garet. He must have heard wrong, preoccupied as he was with discovering his friend's whereabouts. That was it. There couldn't be any other explanation….

"....But....Ivan is..... human........."

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Ivan is human? Ivan thought, his theory beginning to crumble. _What's that supposed to mean?_

"What do you...." he began, only to realize that the hare had passed out again. After a moment, Ivan reached out a hand to the creature's face to try to reawaken him. Only, a hand was not what touched the hare's body. In the place where Ivan's arm should be, there was instead a paw covered in golden fur. 

Ivan yelped in surprise, and withdrew his appendage. The paw moved out of his range of vision. Slowly, Ivan moved both his arms back into sight. To his mingled surprise and horror, he saw that they were no longer human hands, but a rodent's paws, covered in straw-colored fur.

Quickly, the Jupiter Adept reached up and touched his head. Instead of hair, he felt two large, pointed ears. As a slight breeze swept through the forest, he realized that besides fur and pointed ears, he had also gained a long, bushy tail. Instantly, Ivan realized what all of this meant. He had somehow been transformed into a squirrel!

The information the hare had given him began to make sense. This creature _was_ Garet, in his transfigured state. He hadn't recognized Ivan because the Jupiter adept was changed as well. Then another shock struck home- if the hare was Garet, then he needed help, and fast. Ivan had a few herbs with him, but they required a conscious patient to work. He instinctively knew that because of the severity of the wounds and the massive blood loss, only Water of Life would save Garet now.

Ivan began to frantically rifle through his belongings. He was sure he had a vial of the precious liquid somewhere in his bag. As his hand touched the cloth bottom, a groan of despair escaped him. He had used his last vial in the fight with the Fusion Dragon on top of Venus Lighthouse! In he and his friend's haste to look for Felix, Jenna and Sheba, he had forgotten to restock! Ivan cursed himself mentally. He should have remembered to buy some more. Now his carelessness could cause the death of his friend.

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Friend. Ivan thought bitterly. Only yesterday- was it yesterday? He didn't know how long he had been unconscious- he had been fighting Garet in a life and death struggle. Now they were again fighting a battle- but this time, to save a life, not take it. 

__

If only Isaac were here! he thought desperately_. Without Water of Life, only his Revive will be able to save Garet's life._

The forest of Mossflower heard only one word echo among it before silence fell once again.

"Please...."

"Don't worry, Mia, we'll find them."

Mia was a little reassured by Wullger's words. She instinctively sensed that anything the older otter said would someday, somehow be carried out, no matter he cost. Mia smiled faintly.

"Thank you. You and everyone at Redwall have been a big help."

"There's another search party heading out in an hour or so." said Wullger. "Would you like to come along?"

"Yes." said Mia. "I'll come."

"All right." said Wullger, smiling, "I'll go inform the other members of the group."

Mia watched the helpful otter go. It had been a full day since she had woken up and found herself an otter. She had accepted that now- it was just another strange event in the many she had experienced since joining Isaac and his friends on their journey. This thought made her mind turn once more to her problems- finding Garet and Ivan. When she had stumbled upon Redwall, she had immediately thought that her troubles would be over. The kind Redwallers had immediately volunteered to help locate her missing friends. With their assistance, Mia had felt confident that by the next day, the pair would be found and then the four adepts could find a way to return home. Now, however, she was beginning to become worried. The storm hurled both Isaac and herself within a fair distance of Redwall's sandstone heights, which logically meant that Ivan and Garet should also be nearby. All yesterday search parties set out, scouring the woods and calling Garet's and Ivan's names. Nevertheless, despite the searchers' diligent efforts no traces of the adepts were detected. This meant one of two things to Mia- either they had been cast down much further away from Redwall than her and Isaac, or were too hurt to respond to the searcher's cries. Neither answer was what she wanted to hear.

Mia also had another worry to ponder. She had been trying to beak through Isaac's memory block all yesterday as well, but with nonsuccess similar to that of the searchers. She was beginning to think the only way for him to regain his memory was for Ivan to be found. Then he could read the Venus adept's mind and find the reason for the amnesia. This plan, however, hinged on the belief that Ivan _would _be found....

Mia mentally berated herself. Of course Ivan would be found! It was only a matter of time. He and Garet would surely turn up, sooner or later. Mia just hoped it would be sooner....

The return of Wullger startled the young otter out of her reverie. With him was a group of other creatures: Martin, with the magnificent sword he always carried still on his back, Abbess Tansy, and a number of other willing Redwall citizens. The little group assembled under a tree near the edge of the Abbey pond.

"You all know what to do by now," Wullger said, addressing the search party. "Spread out in groups of three and call out Garet and Ivan's names. But don't lose sight of one another! We don't want anyone else lost in the forest."

With the pep talk competed, the search party filed out through the small east wallgate and into the depths of Mossflower Woods.

"Ivan! Garet!"

The cry echoed from treetrunk to treetrunk in the silence of the forest. Mia was beginning to become annoyed. They had been searching for several hours already and still no sign of the missing Adepts. She peered vainly between the still stands of timber, trying to spot something that wasn't there. A few paces away from Mia, her partners, Martin and Tansy, were showing signs of similar frustration.

"Your friends have certainly gotten themselves lost, haven't they?" remarked Tansy, pushing past yet another ground scrub impeding the search party's progress. Mia nodded.

"They do have a gift for getting into trouble," she sighed, remembering several occasions when either Garet or Ivan had inadvertently put the rest of the group in danger. "But so far, they've always managed to get themselves out of it again."

"You never told us _why_ they were lost out here in the first place." said Martin, using his sword like a machete to clear away some more troublesome undergrowth. 

Mia had been dreading this question ever since she arrived at Redwall. Somehow, she didn't think it was a good idea to tell the Redwallers that they were actually human beings with fantastic powers that had managed to get themselves changed into animals. 

"I'm not sure if I'm the right person to tell you that." said Mia. _More like I'm not sure if I should tell you it at all._

"It's fine if you don't want to tell us." said Martin. However, Mia couldn't help noticing that he shot a quizzical look in her direction.

The morning wore on, with the sun soon reaching its zenith. Mia called out the lost pair's name once again, not expecting to hear a reply.

But this time, she did.

Ivan had done what he could for Garet's injuries, using what little medical supplies to create a makeshift poultice to stop the bleeding. Luckily for him, Mia had forced each party member to carry a roll of bandages at all times. Her experience as a healer had shown that being prepared for emergencies was vital for survival. _Wish she had forced us to carry Water of Life as well. _Ivan thought. He still felt that Garet's wounds were his fault, partly because he believed his psynergy summons were responsible for antagonizing the creation of the storm that brought them here in the first place, and partly because he had forgotten to obtain more Water of Life in Lalivero. After creating the poultice, the wind adept leaned back against a tree and waited for something to happen. He felt like an idiot, just sitting around doing nothing, but the fact remained that there was nothing more he _could _do. He had been waiting like this for several hours, constantly feeling guilty about his inactivity, when a faint noise came bouncing off the treetrunks to his resting place.

"…..Ivan! Garet!"

Although the owner of the voice was far away, Ivan instantly recognized the shouter as Mia. Standing up, he hollered back,

"Mia! We're over here!"

Mia heard Ivan's voice coming faintly through the trees from her right. Crashing down a hill towards the source of the call, she shouted back, "I'm coming! Don't move!"

Tansy and Martin had to hurry to catch up with the Mercury Adept as she reached the bottom of the slope and headed up another embankment. The three searchers barreled through the forest, dashing towards the sound of Ivan's voice.

"Ivan!" Mia shrieked as the Jupiter adept came into view. She flung herself at the startled squirrel, hugging him tightly.

"Mia, you're hurting me!" Ivan gasped. Mia, embarrassed at her outburst, let go. If she had been human, he cheeks would have been red.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"I'm fine." Ivan replied, turning towards the still form of Garet. "But Garet...."

"Oh no!" Mia ran over to the Mars Adept's side. At this moment, Martin and Tansy made it over the hill and up to Ivan.

"Who are you?" the squirrel asked.

"I'm Martin, and this is Abbess Tansy." said Martin, offering Ivan his paw. "We were helping Mia look for you."

Ivan shook the mouse's paw. "I hope you didn't go to too much trouble on our account."

"Don't worry," said Tansy, smiling. "Helping others is what our Abbey is here for."

Mia interrupted their conversation. "Could any of you help me, please?"

"Oh, dear." said Tansy, coming over to Mia's side. Her face turned white when she saw Garet's wound. This aroused Ivan's curiosity, though he was still worried about his friend's life. He hadn't known that hedgehog's faces _could_ turn white.

Martin also came over to the injured Mars Adept. When he saw the extent of the damage, he said,

"This creature is critically injured. We need to get him back to Redwall immediately."

Tansy nodded in agreement. "Martin, you'd better go get the other searchers to bring a stretcher."

The mouse nodded, turning and dashing off towards the other groups of search parties.

Mia and Ivan knelt down next to their fallen friend, conversing in low tones.

"He needs Water of Life." whispered Ivan.

"I know." replied Mia. "I'm all out. So is Isaac."

"Did you find Isaac?" Ivan said, his hopes beginning to rise again. "Then he can just use Revive..."

"There's a problem with that..." said Mia.

"What do you mean?"

"Isaac's lost his memory...."

"What?" said Ivan, a little louder than he intended. Tansy, inspecting Garet's bandages, looked in their direction curiously.

"You mean.." Ivan continued in a whisper. "He can't _remember_ how to cast Revive??"

"That's right...."

"Then that means there's no way to help Garet!"

The two sat in silence for a moment. Then Mia said, excitedly, "Wait a minute! My Djinni, Dew! Her power is to revive!"

"That's right!" said Ivan, becoming excited himself. "Try it, Mia!"

"In front of the Abbess?"

"She won't see anything." Ivan said dissmissively. "Remember, ordinary people can't see Psynergy..."

"Right." Mia waited until Tansy was looking out to see if Martin was coming back before whispering, "I summon Dew!"

Nothing happened.

"What's wrong?" asked Ivan. "Have you.... have you lost your Djinn?"

"No..." said Mia. "It doesn't feel like they're completely gone. Just their minds..."

"What?" said Ivan, confused.

"Wait." cautioned Mia. She held out a hand. "Wish."

Blue psynergetic lights appeared in the air and sprinkled down on Mia, Ivan, and Garet. Of course, there was no change in Garet, but Ivan felt the burn marks he had received in his fight on the ship disappear.

"Just as I thought." Mia whispered. "The psynergy powers the Djinn gave us aren't gone, but the minds of the Djinn are!"

"I don't follow you."

"Think about it, Ivan." said Mia. "We obviously aren't on Angara or Gondowan, and I seriously doubt were on Hesperia or Lemuria. In fact, I don't think we're in our own world at all."

"What?"

"The inhabitants obviously have never seen human beings before." Mia continued. "Which means that we, in our true forms, don't belong in this world. Whoever or whatever brought us here had to make us be able to fit it, so it changed us into animals."

"I guess that makes sense." said Ivan. "But what does that have to do with the Djinn?"

"The Djinn are as unknown here as humans are." said Mia. "So when we changed into animals, the Djinn were probably locked away somehow. They're still here, inside us, but they're asleep. They can't be summoned, but we can still use their psynergy benefits."

"That makes sense, I think." said Ivan. "But just how were you able to come up with this theory so quickly?"

"Well," said Mia, "I came up with the animal-human thing yesterday, when I talked to some of the Redwallers. I casually mentioned human beings, and they had no idea what I was talking about. The Djinn's nonappearance just proves my ideas."

"All right, Mia. I still don't really understand, but don't explain it anymore. It'll just make me more confused."

"The main point is," said Mia, "Our only means of healing Garet is to find a way to get Isaac's memory back." She sighed. "I just hope that by that time, it won't be too late..."

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I love cliffhanger endings, don't you? Please review! Hey, that rhymes....

I also want to thank Alex for suggesting that Garet be a hare. I had already decided on Ivan/squirrel, but couldn't think of what to make Garet until she reviewed. Then I realized that it would be a perfect match because in Redwall, hares are famous for eating a lot, and well, Garet sort of fits that category... Again, many thanks!


	4. Chapter 4 Inside the Mind of a Hero

Here I am, with another exciting chapter of Destiny's Call. To answer your question, Alex, Cregga Rose Eyes is the Badger Lord (or should it be lady?) in the Long Patrol. The only Badger in Pearls of Lutra is Auma, the Badger Mother. She'll probably be mentioned in the next chapter or so.

Disclaimer: Don't own Redwall, don't own Golden Sun. I do own everything else, though.

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Chapter 4- Inside the Mind of a Hero

(OK, it's a corny title. But it does explain the chapter!)

It took the Redwallers only a few minutes to load Garet onto a sapling stretcher. Ivan and Mia, worried about their friend's safety, followed behind the stretcher bearers as the search party returned to the Abbey. Many curious abbey dwellers had gathered in a crowd behind the main gates when the walltop guards had announced the searcher's return. The little group had a hard time getting past the gawking mass of onlookers as they attempted to make their way to the infirmary.

"You're back! Did you find them?"

"Well, obviously! They've got strangers with them!"

"They could be _different _creatures than the ones they were trying to find, you know!"

"Oh, no! What's happened to the hare?"

"Is he dead?"

Wullger, at the head of the search party, tried to clear a path through the throng.

"Make way, folks!" he shouted, moving a young mouse about to be trampled by the stretcher bearers out of harm's way. "Critically injured creature coming through! Move along!"

Most of the Redwallers obeyed the otter's commands, although they continued to ask questions.

"So he's alive?"

"Where did you find them?"

"Will he be all right?"

The search party finally reached the main Abbey doors. Letting the stretcher bearers, Mia, and Ivan go inside before him, Wullger pulled Abbess Tansy aside.

"You'd better do something about the crowd, Mother Abbess." he whispered to her.

The hedgehog nodded. Raising her had for silence, she said,

"I know all of you are anxious to know all the details of our search." said Tansy. "They will all be revealed in due time. However, the best thing you can do at the moment is to go about your daily business and let Sister Viola tend to the hare's injuries."

Many of the creatures nodded. Then Martin spoke up.

"Why don't we show our visitors Redwall hospitality, and have a feast?" he suggested.

This idea went over very well with the crowd. The creatures dispersed each hurrying off to do his or her part to help prepare one of Redwall's legendary feasts.

"That was a good idea, Martin." said Tansy, sighing with relief. "Now, we'd better head off and help, also. I'm sure Sister Viola won't appreciate our barging in on her infirmary."

"Will he be all right?"

Ivan looked worriedly at Garet's limp form, lying on one of Sister Viola's immaculately clean beds.

"Of course he will!" said Viola briskly, although she didn't fool Ivan. His experience with reading minds had allowed him a degree of knowledge over facial expressions. Bankvole faces were really no different than human faces- Ivan could tell the Sister was worried.

Isaac was awake at the moment, and was watching the proceedings with interest. 

"What happened to him?"

Ivan looked over in Isaac's direction, startled. He hadn't realized that the Venus Adept was in the room.

"Oh, Isaac! I didn't see you there! I'm glad you're all right."

"Let me guess." said Isaac, dryly. "You're another person I'm supposed to know, but I can't remember. Right?"

"What are you t.." Ivan began, but then stopped. "Oh, I forgot. You lost your memory. Sorry."

Mia walked over to Isaac's bedside. "This is Ivan." she said, searching the mouse's face for a sign of recognition. "Do you remember Ivan?"

"No."

Mia sighed. "Well, it was worth a try."

"You still haven't answered my question. What happened to him?" Isaac gestured in Garet's direction.

"The same thing that happened to you, only worse."

"Huh?"

"It'd take too long to explain." said Ivan.

"Why aren't you telling me anything?" said Isaac, rather loudly. "I demand to know who I am!"

Sister Viola turned around. "You two need to leave now." she said. "Both your friends need rest. Out!"

Ivan and Mia found themselves propelled out of the infirmary by one of Viola's nurse. The wooden door slammed shut behind them, locking the pair away from their two friends.

"That went well." said Ivan, still staring at the shut door.

"Come on, let's do outside." said Mia, dragging the Wind Adept down the red sandstone staircase. "We need to discuss strategy."

A few minutes later, Ivan and Mia were sitting beneath a shady tree in Redwall's magnificent orchards. A slight breeze whispered through the green leaves overhead as Mia began to speak.

"I think I've figured out a way to get Isaac's memory back." said Mia. "But it involves you."

"What is it?" Ivan asked. At this point, he was willing to try anything if it would save the life of his friend.

"You could read Isaac's mind, and find the problem." Mia explained. 

"...That might work!" said Ivan, after thinking a moment. "I'd probably have to go pretty deep into Isaac's thoughts, though. That would take some time, so sneaking Isaac out of the infirmary is not an option."

"We'll have to get permission to see Isaac." said Mia. "I just hope it won't be too late...." 

It was the middle of the afternoon before the two Adepts were allowed back inside the infirmary. "You've got to be quiet," Viola said warningly. The pair nodded, willing to do anything if it would allow them through the door. The Sister let them enter, shutting the door behind them.

Isaac was still awake, watching them as they came in.

"Are you going to tell me who I am?" he asked when the door closed.

"We've figured out a way to get your memory back." said Mia, by way of an answer. "It would take too long to explain now, but once you've regained your anamnesis, you'll understand." 

" 'Regained your anamnesis' ?" Isaac said, laughing. "What kind of language is that?"

"Oh, be quiet." Mia snapped. She turned to Ivan. "Are you ready?"

Ivan nodded. He pulled a chair over to Isaac's bedside and sat down. "Remember, Mia, you mustn't break the connection."

Ivan had told Mia a story from when he was younger while they were waiting for Sister Viola to allow them in. He could still remember the incident clearly...

__

Master Hammet had taken Ivan along with him on one of his silk caravans. Ivan was ten at the time, and was just beginning to learn how to use his psynergy. A group of thieves attacked the convoy just past Altin, attempting to steal the silk, but Hammet's men defeated them after a long battle. Several thieves were taken prisoner. Master Hammet, wanting to know more information about the attackers, asked Ivan to use his powers to read the head thief's mind. Ivan did so, but being unused to his psynergy, he went in too deep. Hammet, worried about his adopted son's safety, broke the connection between Ivan and the thief. Ivan was all right, but the shock damaged something inside the robber's brain. To this day, the man is locked up in Kalay somewhere, screaming about voices in his head. 

After relating the story to Mia, Ivan had cautioned her not to break the bond between himself and Isaac under any circumstances, or else Isaac would end up the same way as the thief. Mia, obviously, had agreed to this.

"I know, Ivan." Mia said, bringing the Jupiter Adept's thoughts back to the present. "Isaac, you need to hold still."

Isaac nodded. Although still bewildered about what was going on, he was willing to try whatever the squirrel and otter were planning if it meant that his memory would return.

"Right? Okay, Ivan."

Ivan closed his eyes and cast Mind Read. Isaac's eyes widened as he saw the glow of the Jupiter Adept's psynergy.

"Hey..." he said, but suddenly both he and the squirrel fell silent and limp, as Ivan descended into the depths of the hero's mind.

__

Isaac's mind was a swirling mass of alternating colors and light, with snatches of thought and scattered, shattered memories here and there. This place is a mess._ Ivan thought, as his spirit probed deeper into Isaac's consciousness. His spirit had assumed human appearance, and it was in this form that he traversed the depths of his friend's mind. So far, he hadn't met any indication of where Isaac's memories were being stored. Deeper and deeper he roamed, the "air" around him growing darker and darker until blackness consumed everything. Suddenly, Ivan encountered a barrier in the darkness, and his progression through the mind abruptly halted. Ivan felt his way along the invisible obstruction, trying to find a way past. The barrier was thick, and the Jupiter Adept knew that he had no way of shattering it from the outside. _A barrier this strong can't appear only because of amnesia_, he realized. _Isaac must also not want to remember his true self. _Now Ivan knew what he must do. Inside the barrier, all of Isaac's memories were stored. Somewhere in there was a manifestation of Isaac's spirit that was maintaining the barricade's strength. If he could get the spirit to want to come back, and therefore stop fueling the obstruction, Ivan would be able to destroy the remainder. Then Isaac's memories would be free to leave. _

Ivan knew what he was about to do was dangerous. Once inside the barrier, he wouldn't be able to come out again until he found Isaac's spirit. If someone outside broke the connection, Isaac wouldn't be the only one who would suffer permanent brain damage. Ivan steadied himself. At this point, he didn't have much choice. Garet's life depended on his freeing Isaac's memory. Taking a deep breath, which was strictly ceremonial as spirits don't need to breathe, Ivan pushed himself forward through the boundary.

For a few seconds, Ivan felt like he was walking through water, although everything around him was still dark. Then, without warning, he was through the barrier and found himself in bright sunlight. Ivan was standing on what appeared to be solid earth, surrounded by houses. He was in the town square of a small village of stone and wood huts with straw thatched roofs. The objects around Ivan were all slightly blurry, as if they were images from someone's memories. They are. _Ivan realized._ This whole town was created from Isaac's mind. _ Looking around, Ivan realized he knew this village. Even though he had only visited it once before, the image still stood out bright and clear in his mind's eye. This was Isaac's hometown, Vale._

There were people in the shadow-Vale, like there had been in the real village when Ivan had visited it. Most were no more than blurry masses of color, vaguely recognizable as a man or a woman. Ivan realized that these people were ones that Isaac could only remember slightly, and therefore were not clear. A few citizens, however, had distinguishable facial features that stood out from amid the rest of their hazy forms. These were the people that Isaac had known well, and so could remember them in more detail.

Ivan walked through the streets, passing the large purple Psynergy Stone and climbing up some steps. In the barrier, he could no longer fly around as he could when outside. The rules the Isaac's spirit had placed on this world applied to him, too. Ivan knew where he was going. Isaac most likely would be at the place most familiar to him, his house. Ivan knew the course up the mountain well, though he had only traversed it once- Jupiter Adepts have good memories.

The spirit-traveler reached the bridge over Vale's large river that divided the two halves of the village. Ivan remembered passing this way with Isaac, Mia and Garet. Garet had pointed out the shattered remains of the dock, which had been crushed by the Mt.Aleph boulder three years before. The villagers had left it standing as a monument to those who had died on that fateful day. In the shadow-Vale, however, the building still stood, hazy but whole, its dock stretching out across the river. Ivan wondered at this for a moment, but then decided to press on. He turned around the back of the dock and climbed the long set of steps carved into the cliff face. 

Ivan crossed another bridge, climbed another set of stairs and found himself outside Isaac's thatched cottage. He tested the wooden door- it was unlocked. There's no reason for it not to be. _he realized. _Why lock doors in a world without thieves?

__

The Jupiter Adept stepped through the portal into the interior of the home. There were three people here. The first, much clearer than any other person Ivan had met so far living in shadow-Vale, was Isaac's mother. Ivan recognized her from his visit to the real village. The other adult figure in the room was a little fuzzier, but still very easy to make out. Ivan had never seen him before, but knew instantly that it was Isaac's father. The last figure in the room was a boy, about a year younger than Ivan. Ivan, with a start, realized that it was a three- year younger Isaac.

Everything began to make sense. Isaac's father had died in a storm three years ago, the same storm that had destroyed the dock. This shadow village was not a shadow of present day Vale, but of the Vale three years ago. This was a memory of what the village was like before the storm had taken Isaac's father's life...

"Who are you?" the apparition of Isaac's father asked.

"It's me, Ivan." the Jupiter Adept replied, addressing his answer to Isaac. "I've come to bring you home."

"He already is home." said Isaac's mother, placing a hand on the younger Venus Adept's shoulder.

"Isaac, you have to come back with me." Ivan pleaded. "We need your help."

"I don't want to!" said the boy.

"You have to!" Ivan repeated.

"No, I don't!" Ivan could see the younger boy was becoming angry. Ivan knew that he was dealing with a delicate situation here. This spirit of Isaac was not the same person as the Isaac that he knew. Raw emotions and memories comprised the shadow's substance and conscience. Ivan knew that this shade possessed enormous power and was quick to change mood. The balance of Isaac's emotions and common sense had been overwhelmed by the barrier. This meant the spirit Isaac was an unstable volcano, ready to erupt at the slightest provocation.

"Get out." intoned Isaac's father, in an expressionless voice.

"Get out." repeated Isaac's mother. 

"Get out. Get out. Get out."

The two apparitions pushed Ivan farther away from the Isaac-spirit. The little boy ran out the door, yelling, "You can't make me come!"

Ivan broke away from the two phantoms and raced out the door after Isaac. The spirit form was racing up the steps behind his house and towards the temple at the top of the village. Ivan pelted afterwards, passing many villagers whom all intoned the same words in the same deadpan tone that Isaac's parents had used.

"Get out. Get out. Get out."

Isaac passed the temple and continued on up the mountain. Ivan had never been up here, but Garet had pointed out the building at its tip to the Jupiter Adept during his visit to Vale. The building was Sol Sanctum, the place where the Elemental Stars once resided. Isaac stopped when he reached the clearing before the Sanctum. There was no where else to run.

"Go away!" the boy shouted, tears coursing down his cheeks. "Leave me alone."

"I can't, Isaac." said Ivan, in what he hoped was a gentle voice. "I need your help. Garet needs your help."

"I don't want to go back!" he stated. "I'm happy here! My father is here!"

"He's not real, Isaac." said Ivan. "None of this is real." He waved a hand at the surrounding area. 

"You lie!" said Isaac. He was still crying. "It is real! Go away! Go away, or I'll make_ you go away!"_

"Isaac..." Ivan began.

"GO AWAY!" The little boy was almost screaming now. He raised his hand, and power crackled in the air around him. "I'M WARNING YOU!"

"Isaac, don't!" Ivan said. He was nervous. Trapped as he was inside the barrier, he couldn't do much to defend himself- and dying in the mind is the same as dying in the body. "You have to listen to me! Garet's life depends on you! Mia and I depend on you! You have to come back!"

"No.." the spirit said weakly, but he dropped his hand, and the energy died. "No..."

"You can't spend your life on a dream." said Ivan, slowly approaching the younger boy. "Your father is dead. There is no changing that. But, if you stay here, he won't be the only one who has lost his life. Garet is dying, and you're the only one who can help."

"No..." said the boy, bursting into sobs. Ivan was right beside him now.

"Come back with me." he coaxed, holding out his hand. "Take down the barrier and come back with me."

"All... all right."

The little boy took Ivan's hand. At that instant, the power of the boundary lessened substantially. Ivan could feel some of his Jupiter powers seep through the weakened obstruction. The Wind Adept and Isaac walked back down the mountain, past Isaac's house and back over the bridge below the waterfall. They continued to the town square until they reached the place where Ivan had entered the shadow village.

"Together with me." the Wind Adept said, placing a hand against the black surface of the barrier. The boy did the same. "Focus your power... Three... Two... One!"

Both he and the boy concentrated their power on destroying the hindrance to their passage. The boundary glowed- while it previously had been a misty black it became gray, then silver, then pure white. In an instant that seemed to go on forever, the obstruction shattered. Shadow-Vale, the barrier, and the fourteen year old Isaac all vanished, leaving Ivan's spirit floating alone amid the restored pieces of the Venus Adept's mind.

Back in the infirmary, Mia was beginning to grow worried. It had been an hour since Ivan had started into Isaac's mind. The Jupiter Adept lay limply in his chair, eyes closed, he and Isaac's paws still clasped. Isaac, too, was unmoving. He had collapsed into the pillows at the beginning of the procedure and hadn't shifted since. 

Mia looked nervously from one limp form to another, then to Garet, who was still unconscious. _What if Sister Viola comes back, and finds them like this? _she wondered, turning her gaze once more to Ivan and Isaac.

Suddenly, Isaac stirred. He groaned, opening his eyes a little. Then he sat up. 

"Mia?" he said, looking confused. "Is that you? What's going on?"

"Isaac, you're back!" Mia yelped, throwing herself at the Venus Adept. "Thank goodness!"

Isaac was confused, but he didn't protest when Mia hugged him tightly. "I was so worried about you!" she cried.

In his chair, Ivan also opened his eyes. Letting go of Isaac's hand, he said,

"Isaac, you have the strangest mind of any person I've ever met." Then he noticed Isaac and Mia. "I see that the procedure was successful?" he said, dryly. Mia broke away, looking embarrassed.

"Ivan?" said Isaac, perplexed. "What's going on?"

"We'll explain that later." said Mia, quickly. "Garet needs your help, fast."

"Garet?" Isaac asked, dazed. "Where is he?"

"Over there." said Mia, pointing at Garet's bed. "Isaac, he needs Revive."

Isaac jumped out of bed. Following Mia, he went over to Garet's motionless form.

"You're right." he said gravely. "Stand back, everybody."

He raised his hand, and a golden shaft of light appeared surrounding Garet's body. When it disappeared, the hare opened his eyes.

"Hey, what's going on?" he said. Mia launched herself at him.

"You're all right!" she squealed, grasping him around the neck. 

"Don't look too happy, Garet," said Isaac, smiling at the startled look on the adept's face. "She did that to me, too."

"And me." Ivan chimed in. 

Just then the infirmary door banged open. Sister Viola came marching in angrily, saying,

"What's going on in here? My patients need rest and qui..."

Suddenly, she saw the scene within the room- Isaac and Ivan standing on one side of the bed, Mia, who had released Garet, on the other, and Garet sitting up in bed, looking perfectly healthy. 

"Ooh.." The Sister fainted, falling towards the floor. Luckily for her, she was caught by Martin, who entered the door after her. 

"Is everything all right?" the mouse warrior asked, carrying Viola to a bed. "Besides Sister Viola, I mean."

"Everything's just fine, Martin." said Ivan, grinning from ear to ear- no mean feat for a squirrel. "Garet's recovered and Isaac's got his memory back."

"I wasn't aware that I'd lost it." commented the Venus Adept. 

The conversation was interrupted by the revival of Sister Viola. She sat up, rubbing her head. Turning, she saw Garet, who by now had removed the bandages from his chest and was out of bed.

"What are you doing out of bed?" she shrieked. "An hour ago when I came in here he was critically wounded and unconscious!"

"I recover quickly." said Garet.

"But.. but it's impossible!" Viola wailed.

"Calm down, Sister Viola." said Martin.

"Hey, at least he's alive!" observed Ivan. Viola continued to stare in shock as Martin spoke to Garet. 

"However you did it," the mouse said, shaking his head, "I'm very glad you're back to normal. I'm sure all four of you have a lot to discuss, but I'd like to invite you all to out feast tonight. If you're going to be staying, of curse."

"We'd be honored to." said Isaac politely. 

Martin smiled. "It's going to be held in Cavern Hole. I'll see you then." He stood up. "Come on, Sister Viola," he said, gently pulling the bankvole to her feet. "Now that your patients are gone, you can help out in the kitchens."

"All right," said the sister, still flustered at Garet's sudden recovery. "Let's go."

The pair left the room, leaving the four adepts behind to brief Garet and Isaac on the events of the previous two days.

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Chapter 5 will be up as soon as I finish my gigantic load of homework and have some free time. The Adepts attend their first Redwall feast (with lots of food descriptions! Yum!) and we meet the evil vermin horde! (Oh come on! It wouldn't be Redwall without a vermin horde!) Basically, the_ real _story begins! 

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5 Danger Approaches

Greetings, everyone, it's me again! I was delayed slightly in writing this because of all the usual things: school, homework, relatives coming over, getting my copy of the newest Redwall book (Triss), etc. I'd like to congratulate Brian Jacques for FINALLY giving the sword of Martin the Warrior to a female character! I mean, the sword is in 14 of his 15 books. Out of those books, three of them have Martin still alive and 10 have the sword given to male characters. It's about time a girl gets the sword for a change!

(And I'm not spoiling anything about the new book because it even SAYS Triss gets the sword on the book jacket!)

OK, I'll stop blabbering and start the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Redwall. I don't own Golden Sun. I do own the poem and all the creatures in the vermin horde, though.

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Chapter 5- Danger Approaches

The lanterns in the underground Cavern Hole emitted a soft glow over a splendid repast of food. All the citizens of Redwall, old and young, mice, moles, squirrels, otters, hedgehogs, shrews, bankvoles, and of course the four Adepts, were seated on benches along the length of the long wooden table. The table was laden with food of all shapes and sizes- breads, cheeses, flans, turnovers, salads, trifles, and many other favorite Redwall dishes. Isaac's eyes widened in amazement when he saw the spread. He had never seen so much food all in one place before, let alone knew what any of it was. 

"What is this stuff?" Isaac whispered to Mia, who was on his left side. He eyed a large trifle in front of him.

"I think it's all made with things they find in the forest." Mia answered. "There's probably some things here humans can't eat."

"Will we be able to eat it, though? We're not exactly human anymore…"

"It'll be safe." Mia assured him. 

On Mia's left was Ivan, who was sitting next to a little baby mouse. Garet was next to Martin, on Isaac's right. At the end of the table, a few places away, sat Abbess Tansy, surrounded by the Redwall elders.

"Good friends," Tansy said, rapping a spoon against her beaker of pennycloud cordial. Silence immediately set over the happy crowd. "Before we begin our feast, let us give thanks for all we have here."

All along the table Redwallers bowed their heads and began to recite and ancient abbey grace. Isaac and his friends, although they had not heard the poem before, bowed their heads also.

"Gifts of nature, gathered here,

Friends and kin from far and near,

Together now in harmony

We give thanks for all we see."

After an amen that echoed through the hall, the noise level again rose. Isaac stared at his plate, unable to decide what to try first.

"Just pick something." said Mia, guessing exactly what the mouse was thinking. She helped herself to a scone and buttered it. Isaac followed her example and took a bit from several of the nearby dishes. 

Beside him, Garet was already diving into the delicious Redwall fare. Isaac laughed as he saw his friend demolish two cheese-and-mushroom flans in record pace.

"Slow down, Garet!" Isaac said. "You weren't unconscious _that_ long!"

"I can't help it." replied Garet, between mouthfuls of yet a third flan. "This is the best food I've ever tasted!"

"Redwall is famous for their kitchens." said Martin, who was watching Garet with interest.

"I can see why." The hare refilled his plate with another mountain of food.

"I was wondering…" said Martin, giving Garet a quizzical look, "Why don't you talk like other hares?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well," said Martin, slowly, "All the other hares I've met have an accent."

"What kind of accent?"

A squirrel across the table took this opportunity to enter the conversation, "Like this." She cleared her voice and put a comical look on her face. "Well, my good chap, you look absoballylutely spiffing this evening, wot wot?'"

Martin and several other nearby Redwallers laughed merrily at the squirrel's strange accent. Garet, however, looked puzzled. "Why would I want to talk like that?"

"Never mind." said Martin, still laughing.

"My name's Craklyn." said the squirrel, extending a paw across the table. "I'm the Recorder here at Redwall."

"Pleased to meet you," said Garet, still slightly confused. He shook the creature's paw.

The feast continued well into the night, with Redwallers happily chattering away with one another and consuming large quantities of the tasty repast. The creatures felt content, well fed, and safe within the comfort of their abbey walls.

But not for long.

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The full moon shone down like a glittering beacon on a small, grass-covered hillock just out of sight of Redwall Abbey. The hillock stood in the center of a field near the burned remains of what once had been known as St. Ninian's church. Throughout its history, the little church had been used three times by evil folk as a base for their activities: the first, by the infamous Cluny the Scourge, the second, by Slagar the Cruel in the days of Mattimeo, and the third, not three seasons ago, as a nesting place for murdering jackdaws. Now the church grounds were being used once more for evil. All around it stood the hundreds of sand-colored tents belonging to Agrapaw Longbow's horde.

Agrapaw Longbow was a ferret. Pure black from tip to tail, she possessed startling green eyes that, it was said, could stare into a creature's soul. Larger and more sinister looking than other of her kind, she had worked her was up through the ranks of her uncle's horde until she had become powerful enough to challenge the leader for his position. Now she held the undisputed title of Chieftess of the Shadow Horde.

Surveying her army's encampment, she smiled. All of the creatures sleeping in the tents or patrolling the perimeter were loyal to her. She had seen to that, through a cunning array of example-making and diplomacy. Each and every one of the ten thousand able-bodied hordebeasts was willing to live, fight, and die for their leader.

Agrapaw strode down the hillside, easily vaulting the blackened churchyard fence to where her tent lay. It was larger than the rest, painted pitch black with the symbol of two green eyes upon it. Her symbol- She bared her teeth in a savage smile when she saw it. A true leader's tent, one that struck fear in the hearts of her enemies and allies alike. Only one creature was within the tent at the moment- Agrapaw's daughter Danagy. Agrapaw had no mate anymore. She slew him before Danagy was born, after he had tried to surmount her power as leader of the horde. Danagy, however, was the leader's pride and joy. The little ferret was on the list of the few things Agrapaw loved, the only member of which was power.

It was both power and love for her daughter that had brought Agrapaw to Redwall. Deep within her, some maternal instinct that most vermin parents try to suppress had told her that she should settle down, and give Danagy something more than just a horde to inherit someday. She hoped that by conquering the abbey, she could create a stable empire so her daughter would have a good foothold in the world when she reached adulthood. The other, and more powerful reason, was that Agrapaw saw the abbey as a challenge. She knew that in its long history, no warlord had ever been able to conquer Redwall for more than a day. If she could successfully subdue the Redwallers, she would go down in history as the greatest leader in the history of verminkind. Not to mention the treasure reportedly stored within the abbey's sandstone walls....

Agrapaw turned as another creature came running up behind her. From the sound of the animal's footsteps, Agrapaw could tell that it was a weasel, probably Magenta, her second in command. The ferret leader had long known that each creature had a distinctive manner of walking, and that by training oneself, one could tell what type of animal somebeast was before it came into view.

Agrapaw turned, and saw that it was indeed Magenta approaching her. The weasel gained her name from her odd pinkish-red fur that stood out from others of her kind. Agrapaw had chosen her for second in command because of her initiative, training, and unwavering loyalty. Truly, Magenta was a great asset to the horde.

Magenta halted, saluting her leader. "Everything is in place, Chieftess!"

Agrapaw smiled again, displaying every one of her pure white pointed teeth. "Good." she said. "We will attack at dawn. The element of surprise is necessary to make my plan work. Better to catch the abbey sleeping, when they are unawares."

"Yes, my lady." said Magenta, bowing low.

"I will be going to bed now." Agrapaw said, turning her back dissmissively towards her subordinate. "Wake the men an hour before dawn to organize. Remember, Magenta," she said. looking back over her shoulder at the weasel. "The sooner we capture Redwall, the sooner we reap the benefits."

"Yes, your Highness." The weasel slipped off into the shadows, back to the main camp.

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It was a beautiful morning.

Mia stood on the walltop, gazing off westward towards the horizon. After the excitement of the late-night feast, she had been unable to sleep, so she had come up here to survey the surrounding land. As far as she could see in front of her, a large plain stretched off into the distance. Surrounding the other three sides of the Abbey building was Mossflower Woods, the dawn just beginning to break behind the trees. The forest border the long dirt path that ran north to south along the edge of he abbey walls. 

A slight noise behind her caused her to turn. Isaac stood behind her, is face shadowed in the early morning light.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

Mia shook her head, turning back to he path. Isaac walked up beside her and leaned his paws on the battlements.

"I don't know what to do, Isaac." Mia sighed. "There are so many unanswered questions. How did we come to be here, an why? What purpose could we possibly serve here? The Redwallers seem happy and peaceful, there is no hint of a threat...."

"I know, Mia." said Isaac, also staring blankly off onto the woods. "It just doesn't make sense..."

Suddenly, his blue eyes caught a hint of movement among the trees. Whispering to Mia, he inclined his head slightly towards the forest.

"Do you see anything?"

Mia turned casually to face the place Isaac was indicating. Despite the gloom, she could see shapes flitting among the trees. As she watched, more shapes began to flood silently up the dirt road towards the abbey. There was no doubt in her mind what this meant. Somebeast was trying to attack Redwall!

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Sorry about the cliffhanger. Stay tuned for Chapter 6- The Quest Begins, sometime soon!

AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	6. Chapter 6 The Quest Begins

I'm back! Stupid Spanish homework... 

Q & A:

heatherthegreatone: no, Magenta is not Menardi. Although you never know, Menardi might end up making an appearance somewhere.

Jupiter Girl: Yup, Agrapaw's all mine! MINE! MINEEEE! Ahem…

Disclaimer: Brain Jacques owns Redwall, Camelot owns Golden sun. I own all original characters/plot elements.

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Chapter 6- The Quest Begins

"What are we going to do?" Mia whispered to Isaac. The pair stood on the walltop, watching the approaching vermin horde out of the corner of their eyes. 

"You stay here and keep watch on their movements." Isaac replied, causally turning to go. "Try to keep low, without looking like you've noticed anything. I'll go and alert the Redwallers."

Mia nodded, and Isaac hurried off down the steps towards the abbey building.

Down below the red sandstone heights of the Abbey of Redwall, Agrapaw Longbow stood hidden among the trees near the edge of Mossflower Woods. Her black coat was nearly invisible in the early morning darkness. From her position, she watched hordebeasts filter silently past to take their positions among the tree.

"Is everything going as planned?" Agrapaw whispered to Magenta as the weasel approached her commander through the gloom.

"Yes, Chieftess." Magenta replied, saluting smartly. "There is one guard on the wall. We don't think he has noticed our approach."

"Good." said Agrapaw, her white teeth glinting in a savage smile. "When all the troops are in position, you have my permission to kill him."

"As you command." The weasel melted back into the forest shadows.

Mia stood on the walltop, nervously watching the enemy creatures approach. She wondered when they would decide she was a threat and start shooting at her. 

Suddenly, from behind her head the booming voices of Redwall's twin bells sounded the alarm. Heavily armed Redwallers began pouring out of the doors. Instinctively, Mia ducked her head below the parapet at the first peal. A few seconds later, a small swarm of arrows buzzed like angry bees where she had been a moment before.

Isaac came up the steps, ducking low to avoid being a target to the foebeast. Behind the mouse came Martin, leading a group of abbeydwellers armed with bows.

"Form up!" Martin whispered to his command. "Three ranks!"

All over the walls, Redwallers took up positions to guard their Abbey from the invaders. Soon the walltop bristled with archers and slingthrowers. However, Mia noted as she surveyed the defenses, the Abbey forces numbered less than a hundred altogether. Judging by the number of shadows approaching the abbey, the vermin horde must number well into the thousands. Mia's heart sank as she realized they were outnumbered at least fifty to one*.

Down in the trees, Agrapaw growled as she realized that they had lost the element of surprise. Grabbing Magenta by the front of her armor, she snarled,

"I thought you said the guard hadn't noticed us!"

"We didn't think he had, your excellency!" the weasel said, trying to keep panic off her face. She had known Agrapaw for a long time, but rarely had she seen the ferret commander this angry. She must really want to capture this Abbey place for some reason.... Magenta wondered in the back of her mind if the rumors about Redwall being a storage place for treasure were true?

"Idiot." Agrapaw muttered, throwing the weasel away from her. "We'll have to change tactics. Sneaking up on them isn't an option anymore."

"We could try asking them to surrender." Magenta suggested humbly. "That worked at several other locations. Just last summer, in fact..."

"Blockhead!" roared Agrapaw, lashing out at her subordinate with a footpaw. "I've read the history books! These Redwallers are much too loyal to their abbey to even _think_ of giving in to invaders that easily! The bones of countless marauding armies molder at their gates, Magenta! We need to be more cunning than any of the ancients if we wish to succeed."

"Then what should we do?"

"Move the army into the field before the Abbey." said Agrapaw, thinking hard. "Station archers across the meadow, ready to fire arrows at the wall. Set up command post while you're at it. Then have Relevtin, Caragtail and the other captains meet me there. We need to come up with a strategy. For now, however, we'll make them think that we're just another invading army- stupid, witless, with no imagination at all."

Magenta nodded, saluting smartly. She never questioned her commander's orders.

Behind the red fortifications of Redwall Abbey, confusion reigned. Although it was obvious that the army outside the gates was hostile, nobeast had any idea who they were. Cracklyn and old Rollo, the former recorder, were scouring the records for any mention of who the mysterious force could be. They weren't having much luck, however, as there were very few clues to go on.

It was now several hours since dawn, and the attackers had reformed from the woods and set up lines of attack out in the field before the abbey. Many vermin soldiers worked diligently to build trenches from which their archers could fire. The strange thing was, thong, that these trenches were well out of the range of any of the defender's projectiles. Why was the army building its defenses so far away that it couldn't attack?

A spur of the moment war council was held in the orchard. Martin, wearing his sword across his back as usual, presided over the meeting.

"This crisis is much bigger than anything you or I have seen before." He said, staring out across the assembled creatures. All four adepts were there, as well as the Abbess, Wullger, Viola, and several other abbey elders.

"All the battling of the previous summer was conducted away from the abbey." said Tansy. "We here have not yet seen a vermin army so close to our own walls."

"What's worse," continued Martin, "is that the shrews and the otters are all away on that foolish seal-searching voyage Clecky was so keen to embark on.** That means we have less than a hundred able-bodied Redwallers here to defend against an army of thousands!"

"What do you suggest we do, Martin?" came a gruff voice from over the mouse's shoulder. It belonged to Auma, Redwall's Badger Mother.

"There's only one thing we can do." said Martin, turning to face the kindly creature. "With our current numbers, there's no way we can hold out for very long against that vermin horde. Somebeast among us must journey out to find reinforcements."

The warriormouse stood up, his eyes blazing with a kind of light Mia had only seen in one other creature before. It was the light that signified courage, and leadership, and willingness to sacrifice all for the good of his homeland. She caught herself instinctively glancing in Isaac's direction as Martin continued.

"We must go to Salamandastron!"

A low muttering swept through the assembled throng. Abbess Tansy spoke up.

"I take it, Martin, that you wish to go?"

Martin nodded. Tansy smiled. "I thought so. It has always been the duty of the Champion of Redwall to protect the abbey in times of peril."

She stood up. Standing tall in front of the gathering, she appeared much older than her seasons. Staring at each individual creature, she said,

"Martin cannot do this alone. At least two more should accompany him on his quest."

Whispers broke out once more among the Redwallers. Most looked reluctant to leave the peaceful walls of the abbey for some unknown destination. Others were unwilling to think of leaving Redwall when it was so clearly in great danger. Mia turned to Isaac and whispered,

"Why don't you go, Isaac? You know you want to."

Isaac's face burned with the realization that the Mercury Adept had seen right through him.

"I'd also like to go." said Ivan. "But it's up to you, Isaac."

"Not me." said Garet. "The food here's too great to leave. But, if you think we should go, then I'll come with you."

"I don't think we all need to go." said Mia. "Garet and I could stay behind and help protect the Abbey, while you and Ivan go with Martin. I'm sure Redwall could use a healer, and our Psynergy could help out if things get out of hand."

"Come on, Isaac." said Ivan. "What do you say?"

"All right." said Isaac. "Sounds like a plan."

The Venus Adept stood up, staring across the crowd at Tansy. "I will." he said.

A moment later, Ivan stood up as well. "So will I."

"Are you sure?" said Tansy. "You are newcomers here. You have no reason to come if you don't want too."

"Your abbey helped us when we needed it." said Isaac. "Now, we will help you when you need it."

"Then it's settled." said Tansy. "Isaac, Ivan and Martin will leave tonight, after dark so the enemy won't spot them leaving." She nodded curtly, indicating that the meeting was over. As the Redwallers filed past, talking darkly about events to come, Tansy approached the two Adepts and said simply,

"Thank you."

Then she, too, left with the others.

Ivan and Isaac turned to follow Martin to get supplies for their journey. As the Venus Adept walked away, he said to the others,

"Here we go again."

Night fell over Mossflower. Out in the field, the enemy soldiers still hadn't made a move to attack. They just sat there, in there trenches, waiting for some unknown signal. Meanwhile, beside the small south wallgate, a group of Redwallers gathered.

Martin, Isaac, and Ivan, each wearing a knapsack of supplies, stood beside he gateway. The abbess stood nearby.

"All right." she said, stepping forward and shaking each of the three creature's paws in turn. "You all know how important this is to Redwall. May you return safely and your journey be a successful one."

Martin smiled. "Farewell, everyone. We'll be back soon, don't worry!"

Then, as silent as shadows, the three slipped off into the darkness of Mossflower woods, the abbeydwellers waving good-bye.

At the front of the abbey, the vermin horde suddenly stirred. Flames seared up behind their fortifications every few meters. On the walltop, the defenders watched nervously. All at once, flaming stars streaked the sky as the soldiers let loose fire arrows upon the fortifications. Redwallers dived for cover as the projectiles whistled overhead. 

The battle for the salvation of Redwall had begun!

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*Author's note- I know that 10,000 divided by 100 is 100, so the Abbey is outnumbered 100 to 1. However, Mia didn't know that there are 10,000 soldiers in the horde, so she was just guessing as to the odds.

** In the epilogue of Pearls of Lutra, Cracklyn Squirrel mentions the shrews, otters, and Clecky are going on a voyage to search for seals. This is taking place in the spring, when she implied they were leaving. Therefore, most of the abbey's fighters have left.

Chapter 7 will be up ASAP! If you read it, review it! And the more reviews I get, the faster I want to write more!


	7. Chapter 7 Onward to Salamandastron!

Hello, my loyal fan base of about 5 people! I'm baaaack! I stayed up till ten writing this, because I was bored and it's the WEEKEND! YAY!

alrighty then, on with the fic!

Disclaimer: Don't own Redwall or Golden Sun, yadda yadda yadda.

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Chapter 7- Onward to Salamandastron!

Isaac sighed as Ivan bounded up yet another tree. "Ivan, will you get down from there?" he yelled up at the Jupiter Adept. Ever since they set out on their journey, Ivan had been shooting up trees at every opportunity, getting a feel for his squirrel reflexes. 

"Why?" said Ivan, looking down at him from a high branch. "It's fun!"

Martin stifled a laugh as he watched the antics of the strange pair.

"It's annoying!" said Isaac. "Plus, you could fall and hurt yourself. How'd you like it if you had to go to back to the Abbey with a broken ankle?"

Ivan opened his mouth, about to say, 'You could just cast Cure and heal it.' when he remembered Martin was around. Instead, he said. "All right." He jumped to the next tree and scampered down the trunk in front of the two mice. 

The three travelers had walked away from Redwall until they had felt sure the vermin hadn't noticed their escape, then holed up in a hollow tree for the night. It definitely hadn't been the most comfortable rest Isaac had ever had, but it was better than nothing. The next morning the two mice and one very annoying squirrel had ventured forth on their journey to Salamandastron.

Isaac still had absolutely no idea who or what Salamandastron was. He decided that if he was questing for something, he really ought to know what that something was so he would know it when he saw it. Pulling up beside Martin, he asked, "What is Salamandastron, anyway?"

"It's a mountain, far from Redwall to the west." replied the warriormouse as he strode over the dead leaves littering the forest floor. "Some say it was once the home of dragons. Now, however, it is a fortress that guards the shores from searats and other vermin. The mountain is populated by hares, and ruled by a great Badger Lord."

"And you're hoping they will want to help us?"

Martin nodded. "Salamandastron and Redwall have long been allies. I'm sure the current Badger Lord will send troops to aid us."

The three travelers continued in silence, marching westward towards the mysterious mountain of Salamandastron.

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"How can they be shooting at us? Their arrows reach twice as far as our own!"

Wullger the otter, who had assumed command of the Redwall defense force on Martin's absence, crouched beneath the parapet as arrows whirred overhead. Since beginning late last night, the enemy had continuously fired fire arrows at the soldiers on top of the red sandstone fortifications. Small blazes erupted all over the abbey grounds. While nothing of consequence was set alight, firefighting crews had their paws full dashing to and fro extinguishing the flames.

"Hey!" came a voice from behind them. Wullger turned around at the sound. Mia and Garet, who were crouching below the parapet right beside the otter, turned as well.

Cracklyn Squirrel half-crawled towards them from the steps leading up from the grounds. 

"Rollo's found something!" she said. "We need you in the gatehouse, Wullger."

The otter commander turned to Mia and Garet. "You two are in command while I'm talking to Rollo." he said. The ottermaid and the hare nodded in recognition, then turned back to the battle. Wullger and Cracklyn slid across the red stones to the staircase and descended to the abbey grounds.

After they left, Mia cautiously poked her head slightly above the parapet. 

"These fire arrows are getting annoying." she muttered to Garet, pulling her head back down as a hailstorm of arrows rained overhead. "What do you say I put them out?"

"As long as no one sees, Mia." said Garet, holding his long ears down so they wouldn't stick up and be a target. "Isaac will be furious if the Redwallers find out about us.

Although the enemy encampment, with the trenches and fires every few feet, was out of range of the Redwall archers, it was still well within reach of Mia's psynergy. Raising a hand behind the protection of the wall, the ottermaid whispered, "Douse!"

Out in the field, soldiers looked up in amazement as a cloud formed over their fire and began to rain down upon it, extinguishing the flames. One after another, each fire the vermin set up to set their arrows alight received its own wetting. The Redwall defenders cheered, although puzzled at this strange turn of events. A few seconds ago, there hadn't been a cloud in the sky.

"That should dampen their morale." said Mia, laughing at the amazed looks still visible on the hordebeast's faces as they vainly tired to rekindle blazes in their soaked fire pits. "Though it won't stop them for long."

"I hope Wullger and Cracklyn have come up with a way of hitting those creatures." said Garet, watching as the soldiers regrouped and began firing unlit arrows at the walls. "Otherwise, they can just wait us out."

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Down below the battlements, Wullger, Cracklyn, and old Rollo the bankvole stood crouched around a table in Redwall Abbey's dusty gatehouse. Since the first days of the abbey, the little building beside the main gate was used as a library. Hundreds upon hundreds of valuable documents, ancient manuscripts, and crumbling scrolls lined the many shelves. Besides the literature, there were also massive piles of dust settled over everything.

Rollo carefully blew off the cover of a leather-bound book, turning its yellowing pages to a diagram. 

"This book was written by a hare named Hon Rosie several centuries ago." the elderly bankvole said. His silver spectacles glittered in the light filtering through the gatehouse windows. "She was a member of the Long Patrol for a time, and these are her memoirs. They tell of an attack searats made upon our abbey in which they hurled pieces of burning shrapnel tied to ropes over the walls. They were much too long ranged for conventional weapons to even get close to hitting their target."

He tapped one paw against the diagram. "This is a drawing of the weapon that Hon Rosie's long patrol friends came up with to defeat the searats. It's called a longbow."

Wullger studied the drawing carefully. "That's a big bow." he said.

"It is some version of this weapon that the attacking army is using against us right now." replied Rollo. "That's why we can't touch them." He looked up. "The longbow has twice the range of any of our weapons. If we are to defeat them, we will have to build some longbows of out own."

Wullger continued to study the picture. "I don't think many of our defenders will be able to use such a weapon." he said. "It looks awfully heavy."

"But having _some_ creatures able to retaliate against those dreadful vermin is better than having _none_, isn't it?" asked Cracklyn.

"Yes." said Wullger. He picked up the book. "Mind if I take this with me? I'll show this to some of the other defenders, and we'll get to work on making these."

"Feel free." said Rollo, removing his spectacles. "Hopefully, we need only to hold the fort until Martin, Ivan, and Isaac return. I do hope they come back soon..."

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Deep in the woodlands, Ivan had once more taken to bounding off among the treetops. His excuse this time was that, "I'm going ahead to scout." Isaac decided it wasn't worth the argument, and let him go. _Let the kid have some fun._ he thought. _No one deserves it more than he does. _Ivan had only been gone a few minutes, however, when a shrill cry broke the stillness of the forest.

"Help!"

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Y'know what's scary? The word _gatehouse_ wasn't in my computer's spell check dictionary, but the word _ghettoize_ was. I mean, who uses a word like _ghettoize_?Anyway, I'll post Chapter 8 when you REVIEW!

And if you didn't know, the thing with Hon Rosie is from Mariel of Redwall.


	8. Chapter 8 Prophecy

This is the third chapter I've written this weekend, when I should be doing homework.... Oh well.

Disclaimer: NO, I DON'T OWN REDWALL OR GOLDEN SUN!!!! Just my own original characters.

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Chapter 8- Prophecy

Ivan bounded quickly through the green foliage of the Mossflower Woods. It felt wonderful to be able to climb and leap from branch to branch as effortlessly as the wind. He wondered if he would ever be able to go back to being an ordinary, earth-bound human being.

The young squirrel abruptly halted when he heard voices coming from up ahead. Moving forward silently, he peered down from the upper branches of a large oak tree at a small grass-covered clearing.

Five figures were visible on the ground. Four were ragged weasels, wearing grimy dirt colored tunics ripped and torn from past battles and who knows what else. One, who appeared to be the leader of the group and was wearing a bright red head scarf, waved a rusty dagger menacingly at a young female squirrel. Ivan guessed the creature to be about his age, although it was hard to tell She had dark-brown fur and wore a purple and blue tunic with a light sword strapped to her waist. She was currently backed up against a tree trunk, holding her sword between both paws, ready to go out fighting.

"Back off," she cautioned, keeping her sword between her body and the weasel's weapon. "I'm warning you."

"Didja hear that, Jova, she's warning us!" snickered Red Headband, displaying a mouth full of yellowing teeth. 

"Yeah, I heard it all right." the weasel right behind him replied. He was missing one ear. Ivan briefly wondered what had happened to it.

"What d'ya think we should do with her, Rev?" one of the other weasels asked.

"Maybe we should keep 'er." said Red Headband, who Ivan assumed must be Rev. "There was a big 'orde heading towards that Redhall place a few nights back, remember? Hordes like them can allus use good working slaves."

The squirrel, who didn't like being talked about like she wasn't there, spoke again. "Why don't you try and capture me, idiot!"

"Hey, mates!" said Rev, grinning triumphantly. "She called your leader an idiot! We'd better teach her a lesson for that!"

The four vermin began to advance upon the lone traveler. Raising her blade to defend herself, she shouted out, "Help!"

"Yelling won't do ya much good." said Rev, swinging his dagger. "There's nobeast around t'hear."

Ivan couldn't take it any longer. Jumping from the tree, he swung his Crystal Rod in a large arc. It connected with a sickening thud to the back of Jova's head, sending the weasel slumping to the ground.

"What the..." yelled one of the other weasels, but he too was knocked senseless by a blow from Ivan's staff. Then, the Jupiter Adept turned his sights to the last remaining of Rev's minions.

The squirrelmaid, relieved that help had arrived, began hacking away at the weasel leader's defenses with renewed fury. Rev, seeing two of his band unconscious and another soon to be the same, was becoming desperate.

"Redwaaaall!"

The battle cry of the abbey rang through the woodlands as Martin and Isaac appeared on the scene, swords drawn. Immediately, the two conscious vermin dropped their weapons and fell to the ground.

"Don't hurt us! Please, have mercy!"

"Ivan, are you all right?" asked Isaac, eyeing the weasels. "What happened?"

"I'm fine." said Ivan, thwacking one of the downed enemies who showed signs of reviving.

"Those cowards were trying to attack me." said the squirrelmaid, her sword still out. "Your friend there saved me."

"All right, you lot." said Martin, pointing his shining blade at the cowering weasels. "On your feet!"

The pair did not want to argue with the point of Martin's weapon. Shakily, they rose to their feet, trembling.

"Don't hurt us!" they said again, cringing.

"It's up to you, ma'am." Martin said, turning to the traveler. "What do you think we should do with them?"

"Let them go." she said. "They're not worth killing."

"All right, you heard the lady." said Martin. He kicked the two unconscious weasels into wakefulness. "Get up."

The four weasels stood together in a huddle, deprived of their weapons and reduced to crying, whining babies.

"When I say run, all four of you start running east." he said sternly. "Don't stop until you've left Mossflower behind. If you ever come back around here again, you won't be as lucky as you were today."

"Yessir!" chorused the weasels. They were happy to be left alive. The swordsmouse and his companions looked dangerous.

"Run!"

The four vermin took off running, stumbling and tripping over tree roots and fallen logs in their haste to be away. Soon, they were out of sight.

Martin breathed a sigh of relief. Sheathing his sword, he extended a paw to the squirrelmaid. "I'm Martin." he said by way of greeting.

"My name is Lynna. Lynna Treeflight." said the squirrel, smiling broadly as she too sheathed her weapon. "Thank you for saving me. your friend here was especially brave, knocking out two weasels all by himself."

Ivan shrugged, "It was no big deal. I'd have done it for anyone in danger." He said this last but because Isaac was staring pointedly at him. "My name is Ivan, by the way, and this is Isaac."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Martin, Ivan, and Isaac."

"So, what brings you to these parts, Lynna?" asked Isaac.

"Call me Lynn." she said. "Everyone does. I'm just traveling, in search of adventure and whatnot. Seems that today I found it." She looked at the weasel band's discarded weapons lying on the forest floor. "What about you?"

"We're on a quest for the mountain of Salamandastron." said Ivan. "There's an army attacking Redwall, and we're hoping the badger Lord there can help us."

"So you three are from Redwall?" said Lynn, her eyes wide. "I've heard of that place before. It's a legend where I come from. You say there's a horde attacking it?"

"Yes." said Martin.

"Looks like you three could use some help, then." she said. "Do you mind if I come along? I'm not really doing anything, and I'd rather travel with someone else than alone...."

"What do you say?" Martin asked, turning to the two Adepts. They both nodded. "Welcome to the group, Lynn." he said, smiling. "As the saying goes, the more the merrier."

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On the shores of the great ocean lies a tall cone of ancient rock overlooking the vast watery expanse. This is the mountain Salamandastron, guardian of the seaside and protector of all who live inland. For centuries, the mountain was ruled over by a wise and powerful Badger Lord, and populated by loyal, seasoned fighting hares. 

Lord Marvadun, Badger Lord of Salamandastron, stood on the mountain's crater top overlooking the ocean. He was troubled. For the past few nights, his sleep had been interrupted by strange dreams of dark things to come. Always the same dream- Menacing shadowy forms rushing past, arrows flying through the night, and one face above all looming large- the face of his arch nemesis, Agrapaw Longbow.

The ferret chieftess had long been a threat to Marvadun. Her armies marauded in the lands south of his mountain, attacking innocent villages and settlements. The Badger Lord had eventually driven the vermin away from the shores, but by no means was she defeated. Someday, he knew he would see her face again. The Badger silently wondered if he would survive the meeting.

A sound on the stone steps leading up from the mountain's interior caused him to turn around. It was his daughter, Cregga. Although the badgermaid was still young in seasons, Marvadun knew that his daughter would become a great warrior, and ultimately inherit the mountain from him.

"Father?" Cregga asked, walking towards the Badger Lord. For many nights now, her father had seemed worried. She could never remember him being like this since her mother died. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, darling." Marvadun sighed, approaching his daughter and taking her paw in his. "I just had a bad dream, that's all. I'll take you back to bed now. You've got to get your rest- Sergeant Soldsfoot is having fighting practice tomorrow. You need to have a good night's sleep to be ready."

"All right, Father." the little badger said, allowing her father to lead her down the steps. As the pair descended into the mountain, the stars twinkled innocently in the inky black sky, giving no hint of events to come.

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Night fell over Mossflower, slipping in quickly and silently over the little group of travelers. Isaac and Ivan kindled the fire, while Martin and Lynn took out supplies for the group's supper. As the group worked, they talked.

"I was born in a kingdom called Southsward, far to the south of here." Lynna said. "My cousin Byran is the king there now. Southsward is a peaceful country, warmer than Mossflower, with summer lasting almost all year."

"Then why did you leave?" Isaac asked, throwing another stick on the fire.

"Byran and I quarreled." Lynn said. "He was not the best of rulers, and spend money foolishly on parties and such. We never really got along, he and I. I became restless living there, with no excitement and our constant bickering. One day, I decided to leave. I traveled north, an wound up being attacked by those weasels you saved me from."

Isaac knew what was coming next. Before they had left Redwall, he, Ivan, Garet, and Mia had come up with a story to tell if anyone asked where they had come from. Therefore, when Lynn asked the fateful question, he was ready with an answer.

"Ivan and I, plus our two friends Garet and Mia who are still at Redwall, come from a land very far away." he told Lynn and Martin. "Some people stole the treasure that our village was guarding. We chased the thieves here, but then lost them. When Redwall came under attack, we decided to help out. Garet and Mia stayed behind to help protect the abbey, while Ivan and I came with Martin to find Salamandastron."

The night wore on, with Martin treating the group to a rendition of his travels three seasons before. He, along with a band of others from Redwall, had set out on a voyage to rescue their abbot from the clutches of the evil Emperor Ublaz. As the fire burned low, Martin finished his tale and asked if anyone else had something to share.

"I know an old song, passed down through our family for many generations." said Lynn. "It is said that it was taught to my ancestors by someone called Joseph the Bellmaker, who was originally from Redwall. It's quite a pretty song. Do you want me to sing it?"

All three of her companions agreed emphatically to this proposal, so Lynn began.

"It's titled, Call of Destiny.

Four heroes of legend set out on a quest

To rescue their friends and set elements to rest

Earth, fire, wind, and water, four brave adepts

The fate of the world resting in their footsteps.

Mars, burning brightly with fire in his soul

Mercury, with water's touch healing bestows

Jupiter, the powers of wind in command

And Venus, the leader of this valiant band.

O'er mountain and river, plains, hill and dale

They journeyed out jauntily from a village called Vale

Passing wonders and lighthouses, on the trail of their foes,

They soon reached the shores where the salt-breezes blow.

On a ship of the ancients they sailed o'er the sea

Trailing their enemy 'fore more evil was set free

Skimming the whitecaps, the four on their quest

Found themselves in the clutches of a violent tempest.

The one of the wind, on his power he called

Attempting to will that the hurricane be calmed

Despite his best efforts, the storm wouldn't abate

And the four trav'lers were thrown to red sandstone gates.

Far from their homeland, the four found that they

Had been brought here when destiny had had its way

A new land in peril, they had to protect

The Abbey of Redwall from invasion prospect.

Two traveled forth, and two stayed behind

To defend the red walls with their very lives

Meanwhile, Venus and Jupiter, and the one with the sword

Went out to find help to thwart Agrapaw's horde.

With a maid from the south, together as one,

The wind and the earth seek Salamandastron. 

Cross under the mountain, and head for the seashore

Then travel south to what you're searching for.

Past armies and mountains the four will prevail,

And, perhaps someday, return to Vale."

After she finished singing, Ivan and Isaac sat stunned. That poem was about _them_! It told of the elemental stars being stolen, of their chasing Saturos and Menardi to the lighthouses, of their being caught in the storm….

"What did you think?" Lynn asked, looking at her companion's faces expectantly.

"It's... It's beautiful, Lynn." Ivan stammered. Neither Martin nor Lynn seemed to have put the song together with himself and his friends. Isaac, too, looked slightly taken aback by the song, but the Venus Adept calmly answered,

"You're a very good singer, Lynn."

"Thanks." She said, smiling a little.

"I wonder if that poem is about past events, or things yet to come?" Martin pondered. Ivan tensed a little. Had he realized what it meant? "The most important thing is," the warriormouse continued, "it gives directions to Salamandastron. Cross under the mountain, and head for the seashore/ Then travel south to what you're searching for." 

"You're right!" said Lynn, excitedly. "Now we know where to go!"

"It's still very general, though." said Isaac, skeptically. "Which mountain should we go under?"

"There are mountains straight east of us." said Martin. "If we head towards them, we might be able to find which mountain is the one we're looking for."

Their plans set for the morrow, the four travelers turned in for the night. Ivan however, lay awake for a long time before going to sleep. The poem was too precise to be a coincidence. Lynna had said that it was handed down through her family for generations... But how had her ancestors known about the four adepts and their quest? With these thoughts running through his head, the Jupiter Adept finally drifted off to peaceful slumber.

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Hey! I actually didn't end the chapter on a cliffhanger! Next chapter- The four travelers continue their journey, but there's trouble in Redwall. Remember to REVIEW!!!!!!


	9. Chapter 9 Shades of the Past

I HATE ESSAYS! I had a history essay due this week, which prevented me from writing… Whoever invented essays should be thrown in a pit of scorpions!

Ivan: [Does a search in Encarta Encyclopaedia] It says here that some French writer named Michel Eyquem de Montaigne was the inventor of the essay.

WELL, LETS SEE WHAT WE CAN DO! *Uses author powers to zap Michel Eyquem de Montaigne out of the past*

Montaigne: (with a French accent) What am I doing here?

YOU MUST BE TORTURED SEVERLY FOR INVENTING THE ESSAY! *zaps up a pit of scorpions and pushes him in*

Montaigne: HEELP!

[All the adepts gather round and watch as he runs around, screaming in agony]

Mia: That was kind of harsh.

YOU'RE RIGHT! THE INVENTOR OF THE ESSAY DOSEN'T DESERVE _KIND OF_ HARSH, HE DESERVES _UNBELIEVABLEY INHUMANELY _HARSH!

Mia: Gulp… You don't mean…

YES! BESIDES SORPIONS, I WILL ALSO THROW MY LITTLE BROTHER DOWN IN THE PIT WITH YOU!

Montaigane: NOO! Please, I'm sorry!

TOO LATE! *Pushes little brother down pit*

Isaac: I think we're dealing with a madwoman here. 

[All four adepts begin to back slowly away…]

WAIT! WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I NEED YOU FOR THE FIC! COME BACK HERE!

Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun or Redwall. I do own Lynn, Agrapaw Longbow, Lord Marvadun, & all other original characters. I also own the riddle song.

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Chapter 9- Shades of the Past

__

Something was not right.

Dark clouds swirled over an unfamiliar landscape. Ivan stood on a small wooden raft, floating down a swiftly flowing river. Beside him stood Martin, Lynn, and Isaac, all using poles to guide the movement of the craft. Strangely enough, Ivan realized both he and Isaac were in human form.

As the boat moved swiftly past the bank, Ivan saw Redwall Abbey standing in a field some ways away from the shoreline. He watched small black shapes swirled back and forth on the ground, firing arrows at the defenders. The Jupiter Adept thought he even saw a burst of blue psynergy among the attackers. Mia's handiwork, no doubt.

"The current is speeding up." Martin reported, turning to Ivan. The mouse seemed not to notice that Ivan was not a squirrel anymore. 

The warriormouse seemed not to require an answer, so Ivan continued to watch the riverbank. Broken scenes began unfolding along its length, flashing by with increasing speed as the current became faster. 

Scenes flickered by more rapidly than Ivan's eyes could take in. Vermin shooting longbows. Redwallers falling, transfixed by enemy shafts. Mia, tending to the wounded. Black shapes flooding over a gap in the sandstone walls. Then, a glimpse of a battle within Redwall. Mia and Garet fighting a pair of creatures with burning eyes... And one final picture- Mia and Garet, lying motionless in a pool of blood.

"No!" Ivan shouted, the cry ripping from his throat. Mia and Garet... They couldn't die! The images faded, the riverbank now only showing an empty prairie.

"It doesn't have to be that way."

Ivan turned, to find there was a fifth figure on the boat. This one was a mouse, wielding a sword identical to the one Martin carried. The mouse even looked similar to Martin, although this stranger was wearing armor.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Martin the Warrior." said the mouse, with a smile. "It was I who had a hand in bringing you here."

"What do you mean?"

"Your world and mine are connected, Ivan." said Martin. "There are places where they touch, and where it is possible to cross from one to the next. I helped to guide your friends to such a place."

"I don't understand."

"All will become clear, in time." said Martin, smiling. "You will not remember most of this dream when you awaken. You, Isaac, Garet, and Mia have a terrible burden to bear. Now the fates of both our universes rest on your shoulders. Good luck, and remember- the future can be changed."

"Wait!"

The Warriormouse smiled, fading out of sight. Immediately after he did so, however, the little raft began to shake wildly as it entered an area of whitewater.

"Hang on!" shouted Isaac. Ivan grabbed onto the side of the boat, looking forward to see where the river was leading them.

Straight in front of him was the gaping mouth of a tunnel.

The little raft plunged over the edge, falling into the darkness. Ivan yelled aloud in fright and shock as he fell through the shadowy void.

"AAAAG!" 

Ivan woke up suddenly, yelling. Immediately, the three other sleeping figures around the campfire shot out of bed.

"What's going on?" Isaac said. He had immediately drawn his sword out of instinct. "Ivan, are you all right?"

"Yes..." said Ivan, shakily. "Sorry, everyone... it was just a dream."

"It must have been some dream, Ivan." said Lynn, rubbing her ears. "My eardrums are still ringing."

"What kind of dream?" Martin asked. Like Isaac, he too had drawn his sword. Now that it was obvious that there was no threat, he sheathed it.

"I... can't remember..." said Ivan, thinking hard. Every second that passed by, he lost more and more of the imagery. It was like trying to catch water with a sieve. "Redwall was in it... I saw the horde attacking... And there was a mouse." He turned to Martin. "Like you... only wearing armor..."

"A mouse?" said Martin, eagerly. "Wearing armor? Did he say anything?"

"I think so, but... Oh, I can't remember!" Ivan banged his clenched paw on the ground.

"Does that mean anything to you, Martin?" said Isaac.

"Yes." said Martin. "I think Ivan's been visited by Martin the Warrior."

"Martin the what?"

"Martin the Warrior." repeated Martin. "He is the guardian spirit of our abbey. I was named after him."

He redrew his weapon and held it out. Firelight glinted off the blade. "This sword once belonged to Martin." he continued. "He has been dead now for countless seasons, but he still appears in creature's dreams from time to time- usually when the abbey faces great peril. He gives guidance to Redwallers through their times of trial."

"So he's a ghost?" Lynn asked.

"Not quite." said Martin. "It's hard to explain to somebeast who hasn't met him." 

"Did you meet him, then?"

Martin nodded. "A few seasons ago, when our abbot was captured by Emperor Ublaz. I told you about it last night." He turned back to Ivan. "Are you sure that's all you can remember?"

"Yes." said Ivan. 

"All right." Martin said, smiling. "Don't worry about it. It'll come to you eventually. Dreams about Martin the Warrior always do."

Ivan nodded.

"Since we're all up, we might as well get going." suggested Isaac. He checked the sun, who's position in the sky indicated it was about five o'clock. His three companions nodded, silently beginning to gather their gear and prepare to set out on their quest.

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Inside the red sandstone fortifications of Redwall Abbey, creatures began to stir. Peaceful Redwallers awakened in the dormitories, heading out to perform their daily tasks. In the heart of every abbeydweller, however, there rang a note of fear. What if their defenders weren't able to devise a way to defeat the vermin horde? What would become of all the peace and serenity they had worked so hard to build?

In the orchard, Wullger placed several items on a wooden table. Around him stood fifteen of the strongest defenders, including Garet. Wullger looked around at them.

"We aren't going to be able to do much to this horde with the numbers we have." the otter sighed. "However, according to the plans that Cracklyn and Rollo so kindly found for us, we have come up with a method of hitting the invaders."

He picked up an object from the table. It was a bow, much longer and thicker than any of Redwall's similar weapons. The bow reached from the otter's head almost to his knees.

"It takes a great deal of strength to use a longbow." He said, pulling back the bowstring to demonstrate. "Unfortunately, our enemy had a large number of highly trained longbow archers at his disposal. All together, we only have you fifteen. Therefore, I don't want any of you taking stupid risks. Understand?"

The group nodded. "Everybeast take a longbow and a quiver of arrows." he said. "I want all of you up on the wall in ten minutes. We need to open fire during the morning, with the sun at our backs, so the enemy will be less able to retaliate."

Immediately, the creatures surged forward, grabbing weapons and heading to the walltop and the approaching battle.

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Agrapaw Longbow stood beside her command tent, surveying the stone walls of the abbey across the road. So far, her archers hadn't done any real damage to the defenders, merely forcing them to keep under the cover of the parapet. This tactic would not work for long, she thought. Sooner or later, despite the range of her longbows, the Redwallers would find a way to return fire. She needed a good, solid plan for entering the building, while causing as little damage to the structure as possible. 

Her meeting with her captains had not gone well. Most of them she had chosen for their loyalty and willingness to follow orders, not for their military genius. Magenta, alone among her commanders, had any useful suggestions to make.

"We could use the catapults." she said, trying to sound offhand in case this statement ignited her Chieftess' anger. Agrapaw was not known for her cool temper.

Agrapaw considered this remark. It would probably work, she mused, but it would most likely result in the destruction of most of the outer wall. That would mean that once she took control of the building, she would be susceptible to attacks by other armies until it was repaired.

"That is a good idea." she said, and Magenta breathed a sigh of relief. "However, it would be best to save the catapults as a last resort. We should first try to find a more, how shall I say it, _low-impact_ way of entering the Abbey."

The meeting ended shortly afterward, with no conclusive results and Agrapaw in not much of a better humor than she had been before the conference. That had been last night. The Chieftess had hoped that rest would bring with it fresh ideas. Unfortunately, waking the next morning did not herald any tactical breakthroughs. 

Now the ferret paced up and down outside the tent, mulling over possible ways of entering. There were tunnels- been tried before. Burning down the gates- they were too solid, and besides, the defenders could pour water down on them from above. Battering ram? The Redwallers surely had shored up their gates to prevent that. Ladders, grappling hooks, towers- all tried by other warlords in the annals of history, with no success. Redwall still stood, free, a monument to their failures. Agrapaw had no wish to add her name to that list.

"Are you the leader of this army?"

Agrapaw whirled around, one paw on the hilt of her dagger and the other grasping the handle of her sword. Standing behind her, having approached so silently that the preoccupied chieftess hadn't heard, were two foxes. On the right was a male, carrying a sword, his fur colored a bright blue. On the left was a female, wielding a giant scythe, with fur a violent shade of pink even more striking than Magenta's. Both radiated an aura about hem that immediately put Agrapaw on guard. These two were not ordinary foxes.

"I am." Agrapaw said, in response to their query. "What is it to you?"

"My name is Saturos, and this is Menardi." said the blue fox, gesturing to his companion. "We have a proposal to make."

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"Today's the kind of day that makes you want to sing!"

Lynn bounded along the path happily, running up and down trees as frequently as Ivan had been doing the previous day. Isaac figured it must be a squirrel thing. He much preferred to keep both feet on the ground. Then again, he was a Venus Adept, after all.

"Why don't you sing something for us then, Lynn?" Martin suggested, marching along at a steady pace. "We'd all like to hear it."

Isaac and Ivan nodded, silently hoping that Lynn's song would have nothing to do with them or their quest.

"All right, then." The squirrelmaid replied. "This is a riddle song my grandmother made up." Lynn closed her eyes and began to sing,

*Author's note- Sung to the tune of the chorus in that Veggie Tales song, "The Yodeling Veterinarian of the Alps"*

"A letter T met a letter R on a warm spring night

One thing and another led them to start a fight.

They got stuck together with a passing double E

Together, the four letters make up the word TREE

Now a tree is in a forest and a forest is a wood

Wood starts with W- remember this you should

Add the beginning of an apple and the last of laurel, too

And you'll start to see the name of something good to eat- it's true!

Besides these first few letters, you must find three more

The next is first in nothing and second one in snore

After that comes you, and then a cup of tea

Put them all together, and the answer you will see."

Lynn fell silent, looking at her companions expectantly. "Well, do you know the answer?"

"Let's see..." said Ivan, pondering the meaning of the words in his head. The first letter is a W...Add the beginning of an apple... What's that supposed to mean?"

Isaac thought for a second, then exclaimed, "I know! The first letter of apple is an A! So the next letter of the word is the letter A!"

"Following that pattern, then," continued Ivan, "the third letter is L, because it is the last letter in laurel."

"The next is first in nothing," said Isaac, "that's N. N's also the second letter in snore. Therefore, the fourth letter is N."

"U and T are the last two letters," chimed in Martin, "After that comes _U_, and then a cup of _T_."

"The letters are W, A, L, N, U, and T." said Ivan. "And together, that means the answer is _walnut tree_."

"Right!" said Lynn, bouncing up the side of a tree overhanging the path and grinning down at them.

The four companions continued onward for the better part of the day. By noon, they exited the woodlands and continued their journey westward over a vast, open prairie. By two o'clock, they had come to the shores of a swift-flowing stream. In the distance a mountain range lay before them, on the other side of which stood Salamandastron.

"How are we ever going to pass _that_?" Isaac wondered, staring at the snowy-peaked heights. "It would take months to climb them!"

"There must be a way past." said Martin, staring at the stream. "This stream is part of the Great South Stream river basin, which flows to the sea. Therefore, if we follow the stream in the direction of the flow, we'll eventually reach the beach, and Salamandastron."

"But how?" asked Lynn. "There's a huge mountain in the way."

"Precisely." said Martin. "The river has to reach the sea somehow. So, it either has carved out a cave beneath the mountain, or it found a pass that will let it go past it. Either way, we just have to follow the water to find a trail to the ocean."

*Author's note- All of this stuff comes from looking at maps of the Redwall area too much and having the misfortune of recently learning about rivers in Science.*

"The fastest way to travel along a stream is to sail." suggested Isaac. "Maybe we should build a raft, or something? We'd reach the mountains much quicker."

"Good idea." said Martin. "Let's get to work."

With the help of Martin, Lynn, and Isaac's blades, it took the four travelers no time at all to create a simple, yet streamworthy, raft. They loaded their supplies and belongings onto the vessel, then used long punting poles to guide the little craft into the current.

"What's wrong, Ivan?" asked Isaac, after they had been underway for an hour or so. "You look troubled."

"I don't know." said Ivan, shaking his head. "I've just got the strangest feeling... that I've done this before..."

Isaac was puzzled by this remark. "We've never sailed on a river before." he said. "An ocean, yes, but not a river."

"I know." his friend replied. "That's what worries me..."

They continued sailing in silence for a time. The streambed became narrower and steeper, and the small raft began to move much faster.

"The current is speeding up." Martin reported.

Suddenly, the memory of his dream last night struck Ivan like a level four Djinn summon. "Martin!" he cried. "We've got to get off the river, now!"

"Why?" asked the warriormouse, looking at the squirrel in confusion.

"I've just remembered my dream!" he said, eyes wide in horror. "This stream ends in a giant waterfall!"

"You're sure?" asked Isaac, a prickle of fear running down his spine.

"Yes!" he said. "We have to get ashore before it's too late!"

The four travelers began frantically pushing with their poles, trying to guide the raft towards shore. By now, however, the current had become too strong, and the water too deep, for their efforts to do any good. The vessel shot over a bit of whitewater and raced along the streambed, completely out of control. It skipped and slid around rocks, eddies, and small whirlpools, spinning like a top. "Hang on!" Isaac cried, as the face of the mountain loomed near. Ivan could make out a jagged hole in the rock face, grinning like a mouth waiting for them to enter. With the sound of rushing water roaring in the traveler's ears, the raft shot into the cave, hanging suspended in the air for a second before plummeting over the falls into the bowels of the abyss.

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Yay, another chapter completed! *Sips lemonade while watching Montaigne run around, chased by scorpions and little brother. *

Isaac: [Approaches cautiously] Errm… I've been appointed by majority vote to bring you this message….

What is it?

Isaac: Well, it seems your throwing the inventor of the essay in a pit of scorpions hasn't done much…

What do you mean?

Isaac: Well… This just arrived from your English teacher [holds out paper]

WHAT??? *Grabs paper* NOO! NOOOOO! NOT ANOTHER ESSAY DUE!

Isaac: I'm afraid so…

YOU! *Points finger at Montaigane, as storm clouds brew overhead* YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!

Isaac: [Jumps ten feet in the air as a lightning bolt strikes ground nearby] YIKES! Goodbye!

AND _YOU_, ISAAC, COME BACK HERE! I"M NOT FINISE WITH YOU YET!

Isaac: [Over shoulder] _Please _remember to review! Maybe then she'll calm down!


	10. Chapter 10 Bat Mountpit

I saw the Harry Potter movie on Sunday. It was pretty funny, except they cut out the Mr. Malfoy/ Mr. Weasley fight scene. My friend got annoyed because through that whole episode I was muttering "Punch him! Punch him!" but he didn't. Y'know, Golden Sun would make a great movie... I'm rambling, aren't I? 

Disclaimer: Don't own Redwall or Golden Sun. But, if I did own Golden Sun, I'd make it into a movie.

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Chapter 10- Bat Mountpit

Mia crouched below the parapets, looking out over the battlefield. Afternoon had brought the longbow team to a halt, as the sun was now in their eyes. They all sat beneath the sandstone fortifications, not wanting to make themselves easy targets to the invading army.

"You're a pretty good shot with that longbow." Mia said to Garet, who was sitting beside her, holding the weapon in his paws. "Where'd you learn to shoot so well?"

"Isaac and I would practice archery back in Vale sometimes." the hare replied. "And of course, training with psynergy helps with accuracy."

Mia peered out over the wall once more. The defender's efforts with the longbows had resulted with the deaths of a dozen or so vermin over the course of the morning, but it had not made a perceptible dent in the army's numbers. Clearly, a different approach was necessary. Mia was thankful, however, that despite the low casualty rating among the enemy, Redwall's wounded numbered still lower. Only five or so Redwallers had been injured so far, none seriously. More to the point, no one had died, for which the otter was eternally grateful. These Redwall creatures were much too kind and good-natured to deserve death.

Mia leaned back against the rough stones, watching another arrow arch overhead. It landed undamaged in the earth of the abbey grounds, where it was quickly picked up by a defender and carried to the place in the orchard where arrows were being collected to fire back at the enemy.

"I wonder where Isaac and Ivan are now?" she mused. 

"Don't worry about them." Garet assured her. "You know Isaac. He's way too responsible for his own good. Wherever they are, you can be sure they're not lying down on the job..."

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Isaac groaned and opened his eyes slowly. His body felt like one mass of bruises from where he had hit obstructions on his long descent from the top of the waterfall. Now, he lay on a sandy shoreline of the river in the gloom of the underground chasm, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the semidarkness. From his position on the ground the thundering roar of the waterfall pounded in his ears, and he could tell he had not been thrown too far from the place where the raft had entered the cavern. Sitting up, with a spasm of pain arching though his body, he took further stock of his surroundings. He was along the riverbank near the foot of the waterfall. The water cascaded downwards from a small speck of light high up in the ceiling of the cave, falling downwards in shimmering sheets of light. Isaac briefly wondered how something so beautiful could be so deadly. 

Suddenly, Isaac remembered that Ivan, Martin and Lynn were still somewhere in the cave. Isaac tried to stand and begin search for them, but his leg collapsed underneath him. Looking down, a large gash, still bleeding freely, stretched from his ankle to his knee (A.N.: Do mice even have ankles or knees?). _No wonder I can't stand up_, Isaac thought dryly. Lowering himself back to the ground, he placed his paw over the wound and cast Cure. 

Golden light played off his paws, settling over the cut and making it disappear. Most of the bruises Isaac had sustained in his fall vanished as well. Once again thankful for the healing powers of Venus psynergy, the Adept stood up and looked around. The river ran swiftly past him further into the recesses of the cave. After glancing around to make sure none of his friends were within his range of vision, he set off along the bank of the stream.

It was not long before Isaac saw a bundle of purple and green caught on some boulders near the bank of the river. Wading slightly out into the current, he dragged an unconscious Ivan safely ashore. Opening his eyes, the Jupiter Adept muttered, "Isaac..."

"Hold still." Isaac commanded, although his friend didn't look in any condition to disobey. Albeit Isaac could see no open wounds, Ivan had a lump on the side of his head as big as a chicken's egg. Placing his paw over the injury, Isaac cast Cure for the second time. The golden light appeared once more, and Ivan sat up, the lump gone.

"Thanks, Isaac." he said, still slightly groggy from his wild trip down the waterfall. "Any sign of Lynn and Martin?"

"No." Isaac replied, turning his head this way and that in hopes of a glimpse of them. "They're probably further downstream. Can you walk?"

Ivan nodded. Using his Crystal Rod for support, he levered himself to his feet. "Just a little stiff." 

He and Isaac headed off downriver again. Calling out Lynn and Martin's names for time to time, the emerged into a high-ceilinged chamber with the river rushing along in the center of it. Stalactites and other speleothems hung from the roof, and stalagmites protruded like teeth from the floor. The going became more difficult, as loose debris carried by the river littered most of the cave floor. 

"Isaac," Ivan said, as he stepped over a large stone, "I'm worried about Garet and Mia."

"At this point," said Isaac, ducking beneath a low-hanging cave formation, "I'm more worried about Martin and Lynn."

"They're all right." Ivan stated matter-of-factly. Isaac started to ask him how he knew, but stopped himself when he remembered that this was a Jupiter Adept he was talking to.

"Why are you worried about Garet and Mia?" he asked instead.

"Before we went down the waterfall," Ivan replied, "I remembered all of my dream from last night. I was standing on the raft with all of you. I could see Redwall on the riverbank, and snatches of what was going on inside."

He stopped talking for a second to navigate a particularly tricky rocky area. When he crossed it safely, he continued.

"I saw vermin entering the abbey walls and fighting in the courtyard. Creatures were dying everywhere- it was horrible. Then, I saw Garet and Mia. They were fighting two creatures with red eyes. I couldn't see them clearly, but I'd bet anything they were Saturos and Menardi."

Isaac drew in his breath sharply. "Saturos and Menardi, _here_?"

"Yes." Ivan nodded. "That's not all, though. The last picture I saw was Garet and Mia lying on the ground- and they looked dead."

Isaac's head spun. Saturos and Menardi- this was bad. He didn't think Garet and Mia could take on both of them alone, and from what Ivan said, they would have to. And the last image- that was too horrible to think about. "Then what happened?" he asked urgently. "Was that the end?"

"No." the Jupiter Adept replied. "I turned around and the armored mouse I told you about was there. He said that it didn't have to be that way, and that it was he who helped to bring us here. Something about his world and ours being connected, I think. It didn't make much sense."

"'It doesn't have to be that way'?" Isaac pondered, "Does that mean Isaac and Mia don't have to die, or that Redwall doesn't have to be captured, or something else entirely?"

Ivan just shook his head. "I'm as confused as you are."

A rustling noise overhead made Isaac look up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flicker of movement among the shadows. 

"Ivan!" he hissed, drawing his Gaia Blade. Ivan was immediately on the alert, bringing up his Crystal Rod into a defensive position.

"Put away your weapons, your weapons!" came a voice from up above their heads. Both adepts craned their necks upward to see the source of the sound. "I am a friend, friend!"

"Who are you?" Isaac asked, lowering his swords slightly but sill keeping it at the ready for any sign of hostility. "Come out where we can see you."

One of the strangest creatures Isaac had ever seen fluttered down from the ceiling into the dim light near the cavern floor. It was smaller than either himself or Ivan, slightly resembling a mouse but with huge, leathery wings. Instinctively, Isaac knew that this creature was a bat.

"I mean you no harm, no harm!" the bat said, echoing his last few words like he had done the previous times he had spoken. "Please put up your sword, your sword!"

Isaac glanced in Ivan's direction. The Jupiter Adept nodded. "It's all right." he whispered. 

Isaac sheathed his blade. He had learned long ago that Ivan's impressions about creatures, whether they be human or something else, were usually correct. If he trusted the bat, then Isaac, too, would trust it.

"Are you the ones called Isaac and Ivan, Isaac and Ivan?" echoed the strange creature. The two adepts nodded in unison. "We have found your friends, your friends."

"You found Martin and Lynn? Where? Are they all right?" asked Isaac quickly

"They are well. I will take you to them, to them." the bat replied. "My name is Cliffwing. This way, this way."

He gestured towards a nearby cave entrance. "Come, come!" Cliffwing took to the air, swooping through the opening and out of sight. Without hesitation, Isaac and Ivan followed. 

They walked through a length of narrow passageways, with several small rooms branching off every now and then. Glancing inside as they passed, they saw several other bats going about daily tasks. One room seemed to be a kitchen, with bat chefs scurrying to and fro around ovens, while another, very dark room was filled with the sound of flickering wings and glittering, jewel-bright eyes hanging from the ceiling. Isaac guessed that this must be a sleeping area, as he knew most bats hang upside-down when they rest.

A short time later, Cliffwing turned from the main path and into a side room. Inside were two more bats, as well as Martin and Lynn. Martin immediately stood up when Isaac and Ivan entered.

"Thank goodness you're all right." he said. "Are you hurt?"

"Just some bruises." Isaac said. "How are you two doing?"

Lynn stood up as well. She had her left arm cradled in a cloth sling. "My wrist's broken." she said, with a rueful smile. "Otherwise, I'm OK, though. Martin's fine, too."

Ivan glanced meaningfully at Isaac. Isaac knew what the squirrel was thinking- with her broken wrist, Lynn would be at a severe disadvantage on their journey. Isaac could cast Cure and instantly heal the squirrelmaid, but that would require revealing their Psynergy to their companions. Isaac did not think this was a wise idea. 

"Now what do we do?" Ivan asked, speaking just as much to Isaac as he was to the rest of the group. 

"I guess we'll just have to travel on." said Martin, "despite Lynn's injuries. Of course, Lynn could stay here and we could come back and get her once we've reached Salamandastron."

"You're not leaving me here!" said Lynn, indignantly. "I said I was going to help you on your quest, and I don't go back on my word."

"All right!" said Martin. "It was just a suggestion."

"But how are we going to get out of the mountain?" Isaac asked. "Our raft was destroyed."

"We will show you the way, the way." said Cliffwing. "But first, you must rest. Wait here, and tomorrow morning you may leave, may leave."

The four travelers looked around at each other, then Isaac nodded. "We accept your offer, Cliffwing. We thank you for your people's hospitality."

"You are most welcome, most welcome!" said the bat. "I must go now and attend to other things. Rest here, and tomorrow we will lead you out of the mountain, the mountain."

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Agrapaw sat inside her black tent, thinking. The two strange foxes, what were their names again? Samturnos and Mendarny- no that wasn't right. Well, whatever their names were, they made her nervous. Not because of their odd-colored fur, which could easily be a dye or just some strange pigmentation, but their eyes. Burning red eyes- she had never seen the like on any other living creature.

"Mother?"

Agrapaw looked up to see her daughter Danagy standing beside her. The little ferretmaid had the same pure black fur and green eyes that her mother was notorious for. Smiling slightly, Agrapaw straightened up.

"What is it, Danagy?" she asked, her tone softer than it was when speaking to other creatures.

"Who are those strange foxes that you were talking to earlier?"

"They came here to offer help in capturing Redwall." Agrapaw said.

"They look scary, Mother."

"I know, Danagy, but one thing you must know is that when you're scared of something, you mustn't show it. A leader must always remain calm, even if she's facing something that frightens her. You must learn how to do this, if you are to become leader of the horde someday."

Danagy nodded sagely. "All right, Mother."

"Run along outside and play now. Remember, stay behind the tents! Don't go to the front of the field, or you might get shot by the archers on the walls."

The ferretmaid turned to go, but then stopped and asked, "Mother, when you capture Redwall, will there be other creatures my age to play with?"

"Probably, Danagy." Agrapaw replied. "And one more thing-" she called out, just as her daughter was about to leave the tent. "Don't get too close to the foxes, either. I don't trust them."

"Yes, Mother." Danagy brushed past the tent flap, into the meadow outside.

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Whew, that's done. Next chapter- we find out what Saturos and Menardi's master plan for the capture of Redwall is. Hopefully, there will also be a battle, if I don't ramble on too long. And remember- REVIEW!


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